Magic Blood Bonds
by Ruaitae
Summary: On any other day one would not think much about the landing of three people. But when they turn out to be old friends of the Pirate Queen and followed by trouble, Hawke is forced to keep a close eye on the oddly familiar leader and her friends. Hawke x Isabela Femslash f/f
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first DA fiction, in general. I sincerely hope that ya'll enjoy this. I have to thank wunderwolf for encouraging me to put this out after looking through this for me. Please have fun and remember, none of this is mine, except for the characters you don't recognize.**

Chapter 1

Skylar looks over the horizon, standing at the bow of the ship that is ferrying them into Kirkwall. She eyes the magically created statues of chained slaves before shaking her head. It has earned its nickname, City of Chains, from its long history of being involved in slave trading or so it would seem.

After several long months they have finally reached the city, Kirkwall. She could not find it in herself to be relieved at the fact that their destination is within reach. The sight of the old city did nothing for her heavy heart.

"I thought I may find you here," the tall rogue hears someone say and she turns partly to look at one of her traveling companions and longtime friend. The flaming red haired warrior stumbles up to her, an unhealthy sheen coloring her pale skin, and she clasp the seasick woman on the shoulder. "Promise we will not travel by ship ever again?" the woman quietly ask of her while she helps the woman lean against the bow.

"I do not know, Talia," Skylar mutters, icy blue eyes intent on the city once again. "We've yet to touch the city and its people. If we do not find our target…"

"At least go by horse or something of the like!" Talia exclaims, her head turning quickly to look at the rogue. Skylar's nose winkles when the warrior's long and loose hair hits her in the face. "Why is it that you have to travel by ship!?"

Skylar looks at her miserable friend and pats her on the shoulder. "I know that you despise the sea," she starts, "but it is the fastest way we can move."

Talia turns and pin her friend with a hard look. "Why is it that you couldn't have let me end this back in Ferelden?" Talia had been against this stupid fool's errand since the very beginning.

Skylar sighs and slicks back her short black hair. "I know that you disagree with this… task. But I saw no way to escape it." Her icy blue eyes lock with Talia's emerald greens. "Did you?"

Talia sighs and shakes her head. "Skylar… I don't know how much longer we can keep a handle on _her_." The brunette turns towards the hatch where the rest of the ship's 'cargoes' are currently hiding out. "_She_ hates the cramp conditions of this ship and well…" The two women turn their attention to the city they are approaching. "I don't see Kirkwall being any better."

"I know," Skylar mutters, understanding Talia's concerns. "There is nothing else we can do about it." The sailors begin the long process of preparing to dock and she pulls away from the bow. "Come, let us join our friend," she says as she helps Talia to the deck below.

"I'm warning you, Skylar, nothing good will come from this."

"Yet what do you wish for me to do?" the rogue asks the warrior.

She gets nothing in return from the woman. Just as well, there was nothing else they could do except continue along the road they have begun to walk down.

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"HAWKE!" the rogue hears someone shout her name in an unbelievably loud voice. All chatter in the Hanging Man immediately quiets and she glares at the cause of this silence. Isabela, the former pirate captain, grins cheekily at her and waves her over. With a sigh and an eye-roll she leaves the entry with Aveline next to her.

"How very… Isabela," Aveline comments as they walk over to the table where Varric and Isabela sit with the rest of their friends. Fenris, forever brooding, glances up at their approaching before ignoring them. Merrill smiles at them and places two tankards in front of them. When Hawke does a quick head count she finds that Anders is skipping the festivities again.

"Thank you Merrill," she tells the Dalish elf as she claims a seat between her and Isabela. "So I take it that no one was able to convince Anders to leave the sanctuary of his clinic?"

"You know him," Isabela starts, "He's practically married to the clinic and his manifesto." Isabela laughs, "At least big girl actually gets away from her job."

"Shut up whore," Aveline snaps irritably at the pirate. Hawke laughs quietly, a hand covering her mouth in an effort to stifle it. Aveline, without another word, smacks the amused rogue on the shoulder.

Isabela is laughing at this point in the game and was just about to stand when she spots a familiar face entering the tavern. Her golden eyes wide in shock while she stares as the owner of the face walks over to the bar, accompanied by two other women. One woman has a long sword and a shield strapped to her back and the other looks to carry no weapon. Yet the pirate could sense some kind of danger radiating from the woman.

She stares for a minute longer before she practically runs over to the newcomer. "Skylar, is that you!" she shouts, throwing her arms around the tall brunette.

The brunette stumbles back into the tall red haired warrior, braced by her. "You ask if I am Skylar and yet jump on me?" the woman laughs, hugging the pirate anyway.

"I'd know your pretty face anywhere!" Isabela pulls away and cups the brunette's face. She traces the markings, "You've added color," she comments as she turns Skylar's face this way and that way, "and do I detect a hint of a new design?"

"Must be your imagination, Isabela," Skylar smiles before removing Isabela's hands and stepping away from her companion. "Please excuse us," she tells the pirate before walking past her, the warrior and a blonde pale woman following her.

Hawke, having watched the exchange with interest, moves close to Isabela. "Who are they?" Jealous icy blue eyes watch the three newcomers while Isabela sighs, seemingly lost in memories.

"The brunette is a friend from Rivain. I have not the slightest idea who the other two are," the pirate answers. She turns towards her friend and notices the hard glare that Hawke has for the trio. "Hey, what is biting you in the ass?" she questions with a sultry voice, her hands purposely trailing a hot path down Hawke's chest. "Certainly not me, though I would love to correct to that error."

Hawke laughs softly and it took effort to keep from seizing the other woman in a possessive kiss. "Do you wish to go back to our game?" she asks, a subtle muscle jumping along her jawline. Isabela smirks, recognizing the signs of Hawke's desire in her.

"Would it terribly bad if I prefer to…" she leans up and whispers into Hawke's ear. A grin appears on Hawke's face and a hand slips into Isabela's, prompting her to take the rogue up to her room.

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"So that is the infamous Isabela?" Talia asks, standing close to Skylar's right, leaning in slightly to be heard by her without the need to shout.

"Aye…" Skylar knocks on the wood, icy blue eyes narrowing at the blonde man. The bartender turns around and smiles friendly at them until he notices the scowl on the brunette's face.

"Oh, hello, are you new around here?" the man asks. Skylar merely nods, icy blue eyes twinkling with interest. "My name is Corff, what can I do for you!" he says cheerfully and just a tad too nervously. Skylar smirks in amusement at him and leans over the counter.

"I hear you have room?"

"That I do. Twenty bits for each night," he answers.

"I would like a room for two," Skylar informs the man, ignoring the tight grip on her arm by Talia. Corff nods his head and leaves to get one of the waitresses to prepare a room for them.

"Skylar, what were you thinking!" Talia hisses angrily, her grip tight on her friend's elbow.

The rogue turns to face Talia and her hand ease the redhead's grip away. "I rather us be crammed in one room instead of separated into two," Skylar mutters softly before stepping aside the warrior to reach their friend, the brooding pale blonde woman with breath taking hazel eyes that seems to light up in the darkness of the room.

The blonde woman looks up from the wood and their eyes connect in a long gaze. "I'd ask you how you are feeling," Skylar starts softly, her hand tangling with her friend's, "but I already can feel you." The tension that her friend was radiating was getting to the point of exploding and Skylar's skin is beginning to tingle. "Do you think you can last another minute?"

"Anything…" her friend starts softly, "for you." A slender hand hooks onto a clasp of Skylar's leather armor. The brunette looks at the shorter woman for a long moment before yanking her close, her mouth claiming the blonde's in a fierce kiss.

"Skylar, by the love of Andraste's tits, have you no patience!" Talia exclaims, finally frustrated by the entirety of the whole situation. "You couldn't have waited until we get into a private room?!" She gets no response from the women and starts to curse loudly. She grabs Skylar by the back of her armor and yanks her away from their friend. "Are you really going to take Celia in the middle of this tavern?"

Skylar's icy blue eyes pierce into Talia's, and the warrior could see that there is a faint glow illuminating from them. "Talia…" Skylar warns her softly, a hand on both, "I realize your discomfort with this… but you know that Celia needs this… I need this."

Talia shakes her head and reaches around to take Celia's other hand. "I know that…" She shakes her head and kisses Skylar's cheek.

"Ahem," Skylar pulls away from them and looks towards the man who interrupted them. "Your room is ready…" the man almost looks uncomfortable and yet at the same time he was staring at them lecherously.

"Ah, thank you," she tells him, laying the due amount for the next week. With that done she releases Celia and Talia from her grip and walks up the stairs to their room.

"Pleasure doing business with you!" he calls after them cheerfully.

Once safely in the room, Skylar and Celia begin to work on the tight buckles of the leather armor while Talia lazily removes her own. Emerald green eyes watch as Celia kisses Skylar, driving her into distraction.

As she watches she notes that Celia has already removed her own garments and is currently stripping Skylar's tunic off. This reveals an array of tattoos that have already begun to glow. "Skylar, you're taking too much," she mutters, pressing against the brunette's taut back, her armor long since removed.

"Sky," Celia moans softly, falling onto the bed with the two fighters standing at the foot, their eyes looking down on her.

"There's no other way," Skylar mutters softly to Talia, turning slightly to kiss the redhead. When they pull apart the warrior's eyes have taken a subtle glow. Skylar smiles at her before climbing over Celia, pressing down against her in all the right places. "Ready?"

"Yes!"

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Hawke joined Varric in the main room, accepting the offering of the ale. "Sleep well?" she asks the dwarf.

"Well enough with the cries of pleasure," he answers. This causes the brunette to blush, a feat that Varric immediately takes notice of. "As much as I wish it was you," he teases her, "it was someone else in the Hanging Man. I keep hearing 'Sky' being shouted and moaned repeatedly last night."

Hawke raises an eyebrow. "Sky…? Oh, that may be Isabela's friend," she frowns at the reminder of the woman she had seen the night before.

"Isabela's friend whose name is Sky…?" Varric ponders of this for a second before laughing, "I reckon that the lady's name is Skylar." He remembers the various tales the Rivaini has told him about this rogue. "Perhaps I will get a chance to talk to the legendary Skylar."

"You must be Varric," they hear someone say, causing them to look up at the source.

A tall black haired woman stands before them with icy blue eyes that seem to glow in the dim room. The woman has a streak of white darting through her bangs, an odd contrast in colors. The dwarf can see the tattoo that frames both sides of the woman's face, a faint color of what seems to be blood. He could see the amused grin on her face but it did not reach the eyes, causing him to worry slightly over his life.

"Aye, that's me."

"I couldn't help but over hear you," the woman says, leaning slightly to offer a gloved hand. "I am Skylar." Pleasantly surprised by the greeting Varric shakes her hand and Hawke did as well. "These two are my companions, Talia," Skylar gestures to the red haired warrior that reminds him vaguely of Aveline, "and Celia." A single look at the pale blonde woman left him with a dread that has him eying her warily without being too obvious about it.

"As you already know I am Varric Tethras and this is my good friend and business partner, Hawke."

Skylar smiles at the other rogue and Hawke returns it with a tight smile. "I take it that is your last name?"

"And if it is?"

Skylar chuckles softly under her breath before turning slightly when Talia taps her shoulder. She listens to what her friend has to say before sighing. "Serah Varric," she starts.

"Please, my name is Varric. Nothing more, nothing less," he interrupts.

Skylar nods her head in acceptance. "Varric, my companions and I are recent comers to this city and unfortunately we are in need of a job of a sort." Talia, the warrior, looked tense as Skylar spoke of their situation. Celia, as Varric observed her, looked like she cares not one wit about their issues and is content to allow Skylar handle the problems. "A good source has told me that best jobs to be had are usually found by you."

"I see…" Varric glances at Hawke for a moment. The rogue looks back at him before shrugging her shoulders, seemingly uncaring. "I must admit that I do find the best jobs around these parts. However, I usually hand them off to my friend, Hawke."

Skylar turns her attention to the rogue, blue eyes clashing with blue. "In that case, whenever you have a need for a rogue, warrior, and a healer…" Skylar trails off to look at Celia who had tugged on her sleeve. Hawke watch them exchange some words before the black haired woman shrugs. "However, I respectfully request that at least Talia or I be in the group if you ever chose to take Celia with you."

Hawke looks at the woman with a raised brow. "Is there something I should know?"

Talia scowls at Skylar and the rogue shrugs, gesturing for her to say it. "Celia does not take well to certain situations. There have been several…" she trails off, unsure how to continue.

It was Celia, not Skylar, who chose to continue for the warrior. "I have destroyed several important locations merely because someone was unable to settle me down after I was made upset."

Hawke leans forward, her icy blue eyes studying the pale blonde before they shift over to Skylar. "Will I have to worry about Templars?" She narrows her eyes at the bi-colored rogue.

Skylar tilts her head with a lazy smirk on her lips. "So long one of us is with her you don't have to worry about a thing."

Hawke frowns for a moment longer before sighing. "I'll send word to you whenever I am in need of your skills."

Skylar grins at her and mock salutes her. "Much appreciated Serah." With that she walks away, a casual - or perhaps possessive - arm around Celia's shoulders.

"What a strange bunch," Hawke mutters, her eyes narrowed at Skylar's back.

"No stranger than us my good friend," Varric grins, until his eyes land on Celia once again. "Though I do imagine that Celia is a dangerous person to be associated with…"

"More so than Anders I reckon."

"That…" Varric starts slowly, "I am in total agreement with." He leans back, his eyes watching the departing figures of the trio until they are gone from his sight. "I would suggest speaking with the Rivaini. Perhaps she will know more about the sorts her friend associates herself with."

Hawke sighs and nod her head in agreement. "I'll see you later Varric," she informs him before walking away.

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"Congratulations," Hawke says sarcastically after finding Skylar and her companions in the Hanging Man, "I got a job for you." Skylar looks up from the papers spread out on the table and raises a brow in a manner similar to her own. "I need a healer and a warrior."

"It'd be nice if you'd tell us what job you have," Skylar tells her.

She looks at the woman before rolling her eyes, "It is a job from a former client of Red Iron. Apparently his son was kidnapped and is held by the mercenaries in Sundermount. Sources of mine report that they have holed themselves up in a cave."

Skylar frowns and looks at Talia. The warrior looks back at her before they look at Celia. The pale blonde sits there, writing something in a tight small script that has the blue eyed rogue frowning.

"You'll get your warrior," Skylar starts, "but I will not allow Celia to go."

Hawke narrows her eyes at Skylar and the bi-color brunette stands up. "A healer is needed the most in this job. Nothing else will do."

"I am aware of that," Skylar replies. "However, I refuse to allow Celia to go." Skylar and Hawke stare each other until Hawke shakes her head.

"First tell me why you refuse my request."

Celia stands up and moves so that she is before Hawke, pale eyes meeting icy eyes. "I despise tight quarters and I certainly do not wish to be held away from the fresh air." Hawke's eyes soften as the meanings behind the words dawn on her and she looks at the two protective women behind Celia.

"I understand. My apologies," Hawke directed this to all three of them. "That, however, still does not solve my issue with the lack of healers."

Talia grunts and pushes Skylar at the shoulder. "She's capable of some quick healing if necessary," she volunteers for the rogue, getting a dirty look from her friend.

"You are an apostate?"

Icy blue eyes close in irritation before she sighs. "No, that would not be the proper title for me. I am a rogue… with a few abilities…" She turns to Talia and growls a few choice words that have her laughing.

"She can siphon magic off of other people," Celia informs Hawke who looks at Skylar with surprise. "Her methods…"

Skylar quickly covers Celia's mouth. "That's enough out of you silly," she gently scolds the blonde. "There are certain things best left unsaid."

"But I like your methods," Celia pouts when Skylar removed her hand. "They really-," She cuts herself off when Skylar moved her hand close to her, "Never mind."

Hawke couldn't help but be amused by the pale blonde's antics. In some ways it reminds her of Merrill. "So, can I count on you?" she asks the other rogue in all seriousness.

Skylar sighs and rubs her neck, her icy blue eyes meeting Hawke's. "There are limits of how severe of a wound I can heal," she informs the woman. "So try and keep the injuries to the mild side of the spectrum."

Hawke takes that as it was meant and tells them to be ready to leave in the morning.

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Skylar frowns at Talia and Celia, strapping the gauntlet on securely. "I still don't know whether to be annoyed or pissed off." She pushes her hair out of her face before she slips on the second gauntlet. Her eyes were glowing dimly and she felt irritable with everyone and everything. She didn't know why but it felt like it was harder and harder to get the correct amount of magic to fuel her spells from Celia.

Talia, already halfway through with her armor, looks up to smile at her friend. "Let's go with annoyed. Less hazardous for all of us," she jokes until she notices the tense look in her friend's eyes. "What's wrong?"

Skylar looks at her friend before glancing subtly to Celia - who was curled up on the bed reading one of her favorite books. Emerald green eyes follow hers before the redhead's lips goes thin with concern. "Are you ready?" she asks, adjusting one piece of her armor. The rogue nods her head, her hands already placing the daggers in their respective hiding spots. She takes a moment to check and ensure that her poisons and antidotes are stashed on her as well.

"Celia-," Talia starts before the mage interrupts her.

"Don't open the door for anyone, don't go outside for any reason, always ask who it is before granting permission to enter the room, and not to use any magic no matter the reason." Celia looks cheekily at the duo. Skylar is trying to suppress a grin while Talia is mock scowling at the mage.

"Are you quite done?"

"Did I forget anything?"

"Yeah, don't forget what to do if you start to build up on the magic," Skylar tells her, getting a quick punch from the redhead. "Ow, Talia, that hurts!" she mock whines, clutching her offended arm.

"Good, you deserved that," Talia scowls. "Just try and ground it if you can," she adds in all seriousness. "Skylar will be too far to retrieve it effectively from you."

The rogue sighs and shrugs in a manner that suggests 'what can you do'. "Just try and stay out of trouble ok?" Celia nods her head in agreement so Skylar takes Talia by the arm and drags her out of the room.

"Skylar," Talia growls at the rogue, her eyes narrowed, "let go of me!" She wrenches her arm free of the brunette's grip and glares at the woman. "What is your problem?"

"… I need to talk to you about the magic," Skylar mutters, her voice dark and heavy. Her eyes were duller than ever before and her body felt like they were weighted down by something.

Talia, worried about her friend, studies her and notices that not all was right with her. "Should we ditch the job?" she asks, referring to the job that Hawke had approached them for. She didn't want to drag her friend out onto something that may potentially endanger her if she wasn't feeling one hundred percent up to it.

"No," Skylar mutters, "We've waited for this opportunity. I refuse to allow it to slip by." She shakes her head and runs her hand through her hair. "However… I need you to know that… it's getting harder for me to…" She didn't know what the correct wording for her situation was. She has been wracking her memories in an attempt to see if there was ever a time when she experienced something similar to this. "It feels like my magic isn't topping off as usual…"

Talia thinks about the last several times Skylar had siphoned magic off Celia and recalls that she had to pull the rogue away each time. "It did seem like you were taking more than usual."

"It's like it's taking more than usual to top off." She shakes her head and avoids looking at Talia.

The redhead, worried about her friend, reaches a hand out to her and forces her to make eye contact. What she sees is the icy blue eyes dulled to the point of greyness and the spark of magic that usually resides in her eyes seemed gone. "What…"

"I feel like I'm void of magic," she confesses before shrugging off her friend's touch. "I can feel it but it's deep inside." She strides purposely for the exit with her worried friend right behind her.

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Hawke waves Skylar and Talia over the moment she spots them. Aveline, standing next to the noble rogue, looks at the two strangers that her friend has chosen to accompany them. "How is it you know these two?" she questions her friend while the duo approaches them. She vaguely remembers the approaching brunette and red haired woman. It takes a few seconds of racking her memories to recall that she had seen Isabela seize the brunette in an overly affectionate hug.

"Isabela is friends with the brunette," Hawke replies easily, managing to keep the jealousy out of her voice. She doesn't know how she managed that feat but dares not think about it.

"Friend or _friend_," Aveline asks. Hawke sends her a quick glare that has her shrugging her shoulders. "I'm only looking out for you," she tells her, a wary smile resting on the edges of her lips. No amount of time with the former pirate captain will change her opinion about the Rivaini.

"Hawke," Skylar greets them. The rogue notes the difference in the woman's eyes and the subtle change in the woman's pallor. Maybe she shouldn't have approach this one, the last thing she ever wants to do is have Isabela irritated at her for endangering a friend's life.

"Skylar," she returns the greeting, deciding to wait a moment before passing judgment on the woman's shape. She gestures at Aveline and the duo turns their attention towards her. "This is my friend, Guard Captain Aveline Vallen," she introduces them.

The ginger haired warrior offers her hand first to the white/black haired woman. Skylar, amused by something, takes her hand with a firm grip of her own. "Skylar," she introduces herself. "This is my good friend, Talia Warlong." Aveline offers her hand to the flaming red hair and the two woman grips each other hand for a long moment while the rogues look on with amusement.

"Warlong, that sounds familiar," Aveline says in a way of greeting.

"My grandsire was known as Wolfswift," Talia replies and Aveline grins, knowing just whom the warrior meant. They break the hold and nod their heads in approval at each other.

"Is it me or did we just witness a pissing contest?" Skylar asks with a wary grin.

Hawke laughs, her hand darting up to her mouth in an attempt to stifle it when Aveline shoots her an annoyed look. Talia just shakes her head and smiles at Skylar.

"You'll never change," she tells her friend.

"Of course not, Talia, you'd be sad if I did!" Skylar grins. "All lonely in bed as I -," she gets cut off by the flaming redhead, the warrior's hand clasp over her mouth. She smirks at the blush on her friend's face, the color rivaling her hair almost perfectly.

"I can already tell that Skylar will be just as bad as Hawke," Aveline sighs out loud and the two rogues laugh together. Well, Skylar tried to laugh but Talia's hand was still covering her mouth so it came out weirdly. The bi-colored rogue glares at her friend before wrestling the hand away.

"If you wanted me to be quiet you could've kissed me," she informs her friend in a matter of fact tone. Another blush flares up on Talia's face and she tries to grab Skylar but the rogue has already ducked out of reach, laughing.

Hawke and Aveline watch on in amusement as Talia chase the other rogue before finally seizing her in a tight bear hug. "Have you seen their skills yet in a fight?" Aveline asks Hawke, unsure how to feel about a rogue who can be easily caught by a warrior.

"I have not had a chance yet," Hawke confesses as she narrows her eyes at the duo.

Talia keeps her grip on her friend, bending her neck so that she can whisper into her ear. "How are you feeling right now?" she asks, aware that the mask Skylar had put over her emotions must be slipping right about now. She had perked up slightly after touching Aveline - she didn't miss that - but that little boost will not hold for long.

"I'll feel better once we leave," Skylar confesses, "I need her, Talia. I need to fix this mess and fast." The redhead frowns as she pulls her head back, aware of whom the rogue is talking about. Icy blue eyes look over the area before landing on Hawke. When she sees the studying expression on the other rogue she curses in Antivan. She easily breaks the hold Talia has her in and lands out of reach.

She doesn't pull her daggers but Talia easily recognizes the silent need in her friend. She sighs and pulls her weapon and shield. She twirls the sword at least once before nodding her head subtly at her. She blinks and instinctively ducks, just in time to avoid a swing. She twists around to swing her sword, knowing that the other woman has already 'popped' out of the way.

"You really don't fight fair," Talia tells the rogue as she takes a stance. She hears a soft laugh before she has to raise her shield to block a swipe of Skylar's dagger.

"I'm an assassin, babe, I don't fight fair," she is reminded before the rogue 'pops' again. She dodges to the left to dodge another swipe. Talia's eyebrows furrow for a moment when she notices that her friend's movement is starting to become sluggish. Has she already begun to run out of magic?

"Enough," they hear Hawke call over to them. Skylar stops in mid-movement and lowers her daggers halfway before turning to face the other rogue. "We're wasting daylight," Hawke continues, "I'd prefer to rescue this kid before something happens."

Skylar glances briefly at Talia as she sheathes her weapons, straightening her armor. "Lead the way," she gestures at the gate, her blue eyes borderline grey again. Hawke stares at her for a long moment before turning and walking out of the city with Aveline right behind her. "Pray to the Maker that we don't get into a heavy skirmish," Skylar mumbles to Talia as they follow them.

Talia glances at her friend, noting the strain that lines her friend's face. She knows that at the top of her game she can easily take down ten men alone. But when she's down and out? She doesn't want to find out how many men it would take to put her out of commission.

She pauses for a moment under the gates, her green eyes turned towards Lowtown. She couldn't help but wish that Celia was stronger, that she could face her fears about enclosed spaces. With that guilty thought on her mind she trudges after the other three.

**Okay, hope you enjoyed that folks. Please leave a review and lemme know what you think :)**


	2. Chapter 2

_**I have to thank a good friend, wunderwolfer, for helping me out with several aspects of this chapter. It's because of her that I am able to give you guys this chapter. Have a good day!**_

_**Chapter Two**_

Skylar somehow, managed to keep her head up and her stride straight and steady despite wanting to just crash onto the nearest softest surface and sleep. Her eyes, normally icy blue, have dulled a great deal. Almost to the point of appearing a boring grey color- or so she has seen from the rare glances in water's reflective surfaces. Her senses were either jumping into overdrive or crashing into nothing, leaving her with the feeling of helplessness.

Next to her Talia keeps a worried eye on her friend and another on their surroundings. Up ahead are Aveline and Hawke. They have taken point, moving with a sense of familiarity with one another, and Talia was grateful that it gave her a chance to gauge her friend.

"Do you need a fix-me-up?" Talia asks worriedly, her voice low and steady to keep the duo up ahead from overhearing.

Skylar grunts and shakes her head, moving stubbornly forward despite the pain burning in her chest. It feels like her chest armor has been buckled too tightly and keeps fidgeting with it. Underneath the armor and clothing she can feel the sweat coating her body, causing her tunic and trousers to stick to her uncomfortably. Add that her head is pounding with each rock fall that produces a loud boom and you have a very irritable Skylar.

"Skylar," Talia mumbles worryingly, her long legs keeping pace with the slightly shorter rogue. Maybe she should've made Skylar stay behind. But then they'd be short a healer for this stupid job. So maybe they shouldn't have taken it. Oh why did Celia have to be afraid of losing her freedom?

She grimaces, startled at her thoughts and angry with herself. Celia couldn't help her fears just like she couldn't help her fears of Skylar dying because she is too stubborn to ask for help.

She grabs her friend's arm and yanks her to a stop, her eyes narrowing when she sees the wince. "How bad is it?" she asks, tilting her head down somewhat so she can keep her voice low. It's not like she needed to anyway, she could feel the tremors in her friend's body and hear how heavy the rogue's breathing is. They have been walking for quite some time, nothing strenuous about it so she knows that something is seriously wrong. "Skylar, talk to me. How bad is it?"

"Talia, just drop it," Skylar hisses under her breath. This resulted in a raised eyebrow because she has never heard the rogue hiss at her. Growl, yes, but never a hiss. If that wasn't a clue to how bad her friend was feeling she has no idea what was.

"Skylar," she tries to keep her voice low and steady but it was hard with her instincts yammering at her to just knock the brunette out and hold her hand until she feels too weak. Such strange instincts of hers but when it came to Skylar she has to ignore them because the rogue rarely allows people back in once her trust is betrayed. "Celia isn't here for you to…" She left the sentence as it is when the rogue gives her a sharp glare that warns her to stop right there.

So with a sigh she let the matter drop, knowing that anything short of that and she would get her head bitten off by the grouchy woman. So with a watchful eye on her friend she allows Skylar to stomp on ahead.

* * *

Night fell quickly and they set up camp. Hawke with a glance towards Aveline disappeared into their surroundings to find dry wood for the fire while Skylar and Talia set up the tents leaving the ginger haired warrior to set up the campfire setting stones in a tight circle. By the time she was finished and was preparing something for their meal Hawke returned with an armload of wood and four gutted hares.

Skylar offered to help with the skinning and Hawke took one look at her in the fading sunlight before telling her that it is not necessary. Skylar, having felt slightly better since they stopped to set up camp, felt instantly worse by the Ferelden's refusal. Puzzled by the sudden plummet in her mood she turns away from them and starts to place a wide circle around their camp.

She remembers her mentor doing this every night before they went to sleep. The subtle buzz in the air as the mage mumbles something so softly she couldn't hear her. The motion used to comfort her, all those years ago. Now, it does nothing but confirm that there are things out in the night that would prey on them if she didn't take this precaution. At the third circle she pauses close to where the trail disappears off to the side. They had made camp just a little ways off the trail choosing to be safe rather than sorry.

"Skylar," she hears Talia say somewhere behind her. She turns her head towards her friend, raising an eyebrow. The warrior wraps an arm around the rogue's shoulders, pulling her flush against her. "Where did you get the energy for the circle?" Talia questions softly.

The bi-colored brunette leans her head back against Talia's shoulder, the tension in her easing slightly. Though the tremors persist in annoying her so she curls her hands around Talia's armor clad arm, stubbornly telling her body to stop being silly. "I picked it up from the trees and such. You know, from everywhere around us," she mutters.

"Ah," Talia soft wordless reply swept across her ear. "Have you managed to tap off?"

"No… It's like there's a hole somewhere in my reserves. It just disappears and no matter where I reach inside it's not there." Talia could tell that it's bothering her friend by her tone. Whenever she gets upset it starts to go lower entering the range of sounding husky. "Try to make sure no one gets seriously hurt, okay?" she mutters.

Talia nods her head, tightening her grip on her friend for a moment more before releasing her. "What do you want to do?" the warrior asks her, tilting her head slightly while the rogue stretches her arms some.

"Not sure yet," Skylar answers before her hands settle on the daggers. Just like that, an idea takes root in her and Talia just instinctively knew what the brunette has in mind. A grin has taken root on the brunette's face and the flaming redhead just sighs, just giving into the insane need the woman has for fighting.

Skylar, apparently feeling a bit better now that she has something in mind walks over to the campfire sitting somewhere close to Aveline. Talia, reluctant to be anywhere nearby her scheming friend, sits close to Hawke.

Talia, deciding that now is better than later, takes her sword out and grindstone and starts working the edges. Next to her Hawke leans forward to tend to the roasting hares. Aveline scowls something at Skylar who just laughs lowly and says something else.

"What is she planning?" Hawke questions in a low voice, staring at Skylar through the flames.

"I think she wants all of us to spar at least once," Talia answers refusing to look up from her sword.

"What would she hope to gain from that?" Talia couldn't help but chuckle at the mental image of Hawke's eyebrow shooting up at her words.

"Knowing my friend, she wishes to - as the phrase go- kill two birds with one stone," the warrior replies, pausing momentarily with the grindstone. She glances up to find that Hawke is staring intently at the other pair across the fire. She follows the rogue's gaze to find that Skylar is smirking while Aveline looks extremely irritated by the conversation. She can only guess that Skylar was able to convince Aveline to a spar.

Hawke starts to chuckle and Talia looks at her again curious as to what is amusing her. "Usually it is Isabela who can get that expression from Aveline," the Ferelden rogue chuckles softly to herself. Talia laughs with her aware that Skylar has an innate knowledge of where to prod to find a person's buttons.

"Talia!" she suddenly hears her friend call out to her. She looks up and tilts her head slightly to the right, silently asking her what she wanted. "You and Aveline are going to have a spar after we eat!"

Talia merely lifts her hand up to her face and covers her eyes for a moment, her native language darting across her mind. "I wished you would keep me out of your schemes," she says to her friend, getting a low chuckle from her.

"My schemes are what keep you entertained!"

"You wished," she retorts, examining the edges with a critical eye.

"I don't have to wish, I just know," Skylar laughs while Talia does a rude gesture towards her. "Not right now, Talia, maybe when we get back to Kirkwall." A blush takes root on the redhead's face and Skylar ends up doubled over, laughing harder than before.

"Well at least you're feeling better!" she scowls at her friend, having a mix feeling regarding the lift in her friend's mood. In one hand she is unhappy that she's in a better mindset to tease people – or namely her – while on the other hand she is happy that her friend is no longer suffering from her magic levels being too low.

Skylar merely give her a large grin that has Talia struggling to make a decision – strangle her friend or tie and gag her up to prevent her from doing something to upset their travel companions. She's leaning to the latter, unwilling to kill her own friend, even in the name of preserving their own sanity.

Talia decides to ignore her friend in favor of helping Hawke put the skinned and gutted rabbits over the fire to cook the meat. Skylar, not one to usually take that good naturedly, just laugh softly to herself before settling into meditation.

Before long the meat is fully cook and each of them had their own hare, silently tearing into the tender flesh. For a moment no one says anything as they consume their dinner. Hawke, unable to keep her gaze on one spot finds that her eyes keep glancing towards Skylar - her mind wondering about how she knows Isabela.

Finally her curiosity gets to a point where she cannot hold her tongue and turns to Skylar. "So…" Skylar looks up from the hare, chewing the mouthful already in her mouth, "you know Isabela."

"Yes," Skylar says with her mouth full of food before doing a slight cough, hastily swallowing the food. "Aye, I do," she repeats herself.

"Do you know her well?" she prods carefully.

"As well as any I'm sure," Skylar replies, tipping her water skin slightly for some of the refreshing liquid.

Hawke frowns to herself unsatisfied with the rather vague remark. "Did you ever…board her ship?" Aveline - in the middle of her drink when Hawke spoke - spit out the water in her shock, coughing madly as she tries to breath.

Skylar blinks, the leg of the hare half way to her mouth, and turns to look at the Ferelden rogue. "Boarded her ship?" she questions, tilting her head slightly to the side while Talia sitting between Aveline and Skylar, shakes her head while trying sort her feeling on this sudden topic of Skylar and the Pirate's past. "Well, yes, I do believe I was on her ship at one point," she finally answers before returning her attention to the hare. Missing the frustrated expression on Hawke's face.

"Did you explore her Deep Roads?" Hawke questions her again. Skylar merely chews the piece of meat in her mouth thoughtfully. "Satisfy the demand of her Qun? Dampen her Divine?" Each phrase has Talia struggling to keep her amusement at bay while Aveline has a mix between horror and amusement.

However, Skylar is obviously better at dealing euphemisms than deciphering them and does not recognize the warrior's plight. She meets Hawke's gaze head on with a tilt of her own head - softly repeating Hawke's own questions. "I was under the impression that Isabela has no love for the Deep Roads and Qun for the mere fact that they represent the robbery of personal freedom." The black/white rogue takes a gulp of water while Hawke is silently fuming. For how oblivious is this woman to not realize what she is saying? Just how well does she know Isabela for most if not all of her questions was some modified version of what the pirate said to Aveline!

"And I am fairly certain that Isabela does not pray to the Maker. Curse in Andraste's name and call upon her -," Skylar pauses as she considers the right word for this, "Ah-various bodily charms. Mm, no, I suppose that does not make great sense in that context but nevertheless it shall work for now."

"Enough! Forget I even said anything!" Hawke explodes, startling the other rogue into silence. Next to the rogues the warriors have to stifle their snickers - Aveline more than pleased that someone else had to suffer those questions while yet at the same time wondering just how oblivious the rogue truly is. Talia - forever familiar with Skylar - knows that her friend is deeply confused as to what has annoyed the Ferelden rogue to the point of yelling her frustration at her.

In other words, typical Skylar.

* * *

Talia scowls at her friend, disbelieving that she was roped into this. She is sitting on a log, watching her long time - and often very irritating - friend spar with the Ferelden rogue. There are some moments where she has to stifle a laugh when her friend is taken by surprise - a rare feat for anyone to do in a one on one fight.

Skylar is currently facing off with Hawke, the two rogues trading blow for blow, moving in clearly different styles. Skylar's movements - feeling slightly better with adrenaline rushing through her body - are normally a whirlwind of attacks. Her skills are always on display as she fights and she shows an ability to predict her opponent's movements. The only downside is that it causes her to develop tunnel vision. In a group fight, with no one else to back her up, she is likely to be taken down from behind than anything else.

Hawke however, seems to be Skylar's exact opposite in terms of fighting style. Her attacks so erratic that it seems to make Skylar's blocks almost insignificant. From observing the rogue she could safely say that the Ferelden rogue is terrifying in terms of power. Every single swing of her swords leaves a deep gorge in the dirt or tree whenever Skylar dodged out of the way instead of blocking.

Another thing they differ in is that Skylar, in her fighting, tends to be flashy - using her magic to go from one place to another in an instant. She likes to mix her magic in with her fighting, to startle people from their intense focus and to take advantage of it. However, in her current condition that kind of magic would probably drain the last of her reserves and kill her. Hawke's style in comparison to Skylar is subtle - relying on her skills and power instead of flashy moves and things of the like to attack her opponents.

Their weapons of choice are duel swords or daggers. Skylar, always preferring a style that is unorthodox, is wielding a long sword and a dagger simultaneously. In her right hand she wields the long sword in a reverse grip, the blade flat against her arm - the tender underside protected by an arm bracer - and serves as a shield. The dagger, wielded in her left hand, is used in a style of attack that often leaves her opponent confused. As a precaution she also carries the matching dagger for the rare occasions where she loses her long sword. Hawke prefers to use matching daggers at all times and if she happened to lose one of them during a fight? Well, she'd make do until the end of it apparently.

"When are they going to realize that they're evenly matched?" Talia questions, her eyes following their movements as they spar with one another. The two rogues are to fight without the use of any skills or magic - limiting Hawke and Skylar respectively.

"Perhaps when they feel satisfied with one another," Aveline replies distractedly.

Talia turns her attention from Aveline, an eyebrow raised as she questions what she has heard. "You do realize that what you just said is very easy to be twisted?" she asks with a mild smile. She has to bite her lip to keep from laughing when she sees a rather vivid blush take the ginger's face. "I suppose you do now," she mutters, a soft chuckle managing to escape.

"At least you don't take advantage to the slips of the tongue," Aveline grumbles, recalling a particular rogue.

"When you travel with Skylar you cannot help but pity those who suffer the slips." A long suffering sigh escapes Talia's lips as she shakes her head side to side. "The things that woman will come up with. It's downright crazy!"

The two warriors were, for a lack of a better term, amused by the fact that they had something in common aside from their chosen class. Not that it is something they are proud of in any case. Who likes to be proud of the fact that they are prone to being teased mercilessly by the rogues?

They suddenly hear a grunt and turn their attention back to the sparring rogues only to discover that one of them had been knocked down and that the other - the victor - is holding a dagger in the 'defeated' rogue's face. They have to move closer to see who 'won' the spar.

To Aveline's surprise she sees that it is Hawke who is pinned on the ground with the tip of a dagger lightly pressed against her throat. Never before had she seen her companion held down by anyone. It was a rather strange sight to behold.

Talia - however she may have predicted the spar to turn out - was concerned for her friend. She can see the hard toll the fight has taken on her - how her body just seems to be struggling to get enough oxygen. She was worried, forever worrying about her - and for good reasons too.

"Well," Hawke mutters softly, soft pants leaving the Ferelden rogue's lips, "that was fun." A smirk appears on her lips and Skylar laughs, putting the dagger away before helping Hawke up.

"Certainly was," Skylar agrees with a nod, sheathing the long sword.

"I have to admit, I never seen that style of fighting before," Hawke comments, already leaving the 'sparring circle' to claim the vacant seats the warriors had left.

"I once fought with a warrior, a long while back," Skylar confesses, moving to sit as well. "It was such an odd style that I was nearly sent to my own grave," she continues, recalling the strange female warrior. "But her companion, a shifter of some sort, was distraught by our fighting and somehow managed to get us to stop." Her eyes glaze over for a moment before she sighs, shaking her head.

Hawke, curious but sensing that this particular story was not something the other rogue wants to delve at the moment, lets the issue drop and turn her attention back to the warriors. At the moment the two have merely taken up a stance. Aveline, forever a defender and a tank, has lifted up her shield and is holding her sword securely in her other hand. Talia - from what Hawke can observe - is of the same mindset as Aveline. Yet when she sees that the woman's stance is different from her friend's she can conclude that Talia Warlong has a different style of approach.

"Alright guys, keep it nice and clean!" Skylar calls over to them, "I know you're itching for some action Talia but that doesn't mean you can take it out on Aveline!"

"Skylar!" is Talia's indignant reply to her comment and the two rogues roar with laughter. "Skylar if I get my hands on you-!" she cuts herself off when Aveline's sword swings at her, causing reflexes to raise up and her shield catches the blade.

With that their spar started with a gleeful vengeance and the rogues, finally calming from Talia's rather hilarious reaction, settle down to watch the warriors. Hawke watches Aveline abnormally aggressive attacks and decides that it may be because the woman is trying to test the flaming redhead for any visible weaknesses. She also couldn't help but be impressed with Talia's skills.

"Mm… Aveline shows admirable skills and strength," Skylar speaks up from her left.

"She is great in ambushes. Get her standing in a chokepoint and there's nothing that can get her down," Hawke comments.

"So that means that if someone doesn't guard her back she is doomed to be taken down?" Skylar is curious for she has never truly met a warrior who specializes in defense. Talia prefers being a warmonger - taunting her foes and drawing all of their attention to her - and a battle master - a skilled fighter who just practically lives for carnage. When it happens anyway, she's never one to actively seek out a fight.

"That is a good question," Hawke replies, watching the warriors trade blows for blows. It got to a point where Talia discarded her shield and took to gripping her sword with both of her hands, adding more power and swing to the weapon. "I wish I could say it never happened before but it has," she shakes her head as she recalls those moments of concern.

Skylar caught that and tore her eyes from the sparring warriors. "It's hard," she comments, "worrying about friends in the heat of battle. It makes you want to put them in a room far away from the danger." Hawke's eyes meets hers and something pass between them before the Ferelden rogue nods her head in agreement. "That's when we have to trust them," Skylar continues, turning her head back towards the warriors.

She can see the determined aura radiating around her friend, the same kind that always take over her whenever she's fighting. She knows, without really needing to ask, that her friend has found her footing in this strange circle they have found themselves in. It is strange, to work with a motley group such as Hawke and her friends and find that they feel at home with them than anywhere else. She frowns as she considers the plans that she had to make quite some time ago. She doesn't know what to make of Talia becoming attached with the group.

"Is that the best you got?" Skylar hears Aveline taunt Talia, causing her add more feeling behind her attacks. As she listens she notices that the two redheads have begun to taunt each other, taking this sparring match too seriously now.

Skylar frowns as she notes this and glances at Hawke who has noted the same thing as her. Without a need to verbally confirm their plan they decide that their warriors need to be taken a few pegs. "Aveline is a fine warrior," she says loud enough for the sparring warriors to overhear - noticing the boastful grin on the ginger haired woman's face.

"Aye," Hawke agrees, "In an easily paced battle she is indeed competent." Skylar leans back casually as Hawke continues. "But see how she is unbalanced and rests her weight on her back foot?" The Ferelden rogue gestures towards the warrior in question. "It makes her movement on the field slow." Skylar nods her head scratching her nose to conceal her grin - watching how the two warriors are now more intent on their conversation than their spar.

"She may be sluggish," Skylar argues straight-faced, "But warriors are not favored for their agility and can be formidable tanks. The grip on her weapon is sound, strong but not rigid like Talia's." She points Hawke's attention to the redhead in question. "Why one well positioned strike on her sword and it would fall uselessly to the floor! What is a warrior without their sword? For they are impotent without it."

Hawke nods her head in consideration trying not to laugh, "Indeed you are correct, Skylar. They could both use some improvement." By this point the two warriors have quit their spar and have taken to glaring at their friends angrily. Skylar, having noticed this, has tensed her body in preparation of revenge from her longtime friend.

True to her prediction Aveline and Talia lunges for them causing the two rogues to split up and dodge their friend's grasp. Aveline has taken to cursing Hawke in Ferelden while Talia - normally a very self-restrained woman - is cursing Skylar in a mix of Orlesian, Rivaini, Ander, and Antivan as she chases the white/black haired woman around their camp.

* * *

Skylar's eyes narrow at their surroundings, the glare of the sun causing her to shade her face. "Where was it you said they'd be?" she question their leader. It has been some time since they set out on this job and things have been too eerily quiet for her to relax. At this time the two rogues have taken point, both of them scouting ahead while their friends clank on behind them.

"Shouldn't be much further," Hawke mumbles, mimicking Skylar's actions. "Though the lack of guards is worrisome," she continues, dropping her hand to peer at the other rogue. She recalls their first encounter, how the other woman had a certain guard to her. Even now it is still there, yet she also notes that there is a weight on her now.

It was just barely visible in the courtyard but now more than ever she could see it. She pauses at the crest of the path and turns to study Aveline. The ginger haired woman has, from what it seems, found a good friend in the flaming haired warrior. It was a nice sight to see after the long years of watching her friend stand alone.

Skylar, having moved on ahead slightly, pauses to look at her surroundings again. All around her she can see scrubs of green bushes and such, faint signs of life scattered on the mountain side. With a low curse she spreads out her hands before her -as if she is cupping water between them- and concentrates on the subtle hum of magic. She can feel it, which is good in her opinion but as she grabs at the strands she notes with a frown that they are slipping too easily from her grasp. Has she become too accustomed to siphoning magic from Celia?

That thought worried her, becoming addicted to Celia's magic is something she should have taken precaution against. Something she never thought would happen.

With a sigh she drops her hand, unable to focus hard enough to force the magic to come to her. That's another thing that disturbs her. Magic usually flows to her without her even needing to concentrate. But now, it dances around her and if she does manage to grab it, it enters and then just disappears. She couldn't remember the magic ever behaving like this. It takes a minute but she finds a perfect analogy for what the situation feels like to her, it is similar to water escaping her cupped hands.

"Skylar," she hears someone speak behind her and turns to give them her attention. She finds it to be Hawke and raises an eyebrow at the rogue. "Any signs of the mercenaries we're after?"

Skylar shakes her head. "The earth doesn't have any memories of men trampling by," she informs the Ferelden rogue. "So either they took a different path to the caves we're headed to or…"

"We're being conned," Hawke concludes for the bi-colored brunette. She watches Skylar nod her head before turning away with an angry sigh. She likes to think that Meeran wouldn't double cross her after spending a year working for him. But the mercenary isn't well known for his sentimental values.

"I don't know about you," Skylar starts, attracting the Ferelden rogue's attention once more, "but I'll be mighty pissed if I found out that we were tricked."

Hawke chuckles in amusement, that's exactly how she'd feel if this was a waste of her time. "Agreed," she says out loud. By this point Aveline and Talia have made their way to them and are now staring at the rogues warily.

Skylar looking over the horizon tilts her head when she hears something. At first she cannot make out what she hears but as the second ticks by she is left with a feeling of…

Before she can identify what it is a bolt buries itself in the dirt between their feet, causing her to jump back instinctively. Her hands, moving on their own, blur and the comfortable weight of her weapons settles her. Somewhere to the right she hears Aveline and Talia bellow 'Ambush' together.

"Grenade!" she hears Hawke shout just seconds before there's a loud explosion. Just before the fire clears she jumps onto the nearest mercenary, her dagger already finding its mark. A grim snarl takes over her face as she pushes off towards a new opponent, disappearing briefly to reappear behind the man.

"Skylar!" she hears Talia shout just as her blade sinks into the man's back. The warning is too late for she feels something slam into her back and send her flying into the dirt. Coughing and cursing she rolls with the slope, just in time to avoid getting hit again. Her hand flies out instinctively and she, with her eyes flaring a bright blue color, send a spirit bolt at the bandit.

Gasping, suddenly drained, she pushes herself off the ground and back into the battle.

At some point in the battle she winds up near Hawke again and- after dispatching another bandit- she twirls in place to check on the other three. Talia, forever an unstoppable force, is cleaving her way through the group that has been obviously taunted by Aveline. A good pair, she concludes after a second of watching their styles. She turns to Hawke and her blood goes cold as the bandit's sword swing down and rich blood arch up from the rogue's body.

She hears herself scream, practically screech Hawke's name. Her hand flings out and another bolt of lightning, stronger than the last, slams into the man's chest. Her eyes, flaring almost white, attempts to roll back into her head as the spell drain the last of her very magic but through -what seems to be- sheer will she keeps herself conscious, stumbling.

"HAWKE!" she hears Aveline call as she falls to her knees by the downed Ferelden rogue. A quick look over the brunette confirms that she's still alive, that she's losing quite a lot of blood, and… she's unconscious. She grimace, the pounding in her head worsening as her body starts to crash from the dangerously low magic in her.

She looks up when Talia kneels next to her, her body warm and comforting. "How bad is it?" the redhead asks, her green eyes dark and stormy.

She shakes her head, unsure and unwilling to touch Hawke. "The blood loss is likely to kill her," she mutters as she holds a hand over the long gash. "That is if she doesn't go into shock first." When the subtle glow of magic doesn't appear under her hand she scowls at herself before shaking away the mood.

She focuses herself and on her surroundings, her mind's eye finding the strands of magic all around her. She mentally reaches for a strand only to have it slip away, again. "Damn it, I don't have time to play tag!" she growls as she tries to pump healing magic into the injured rogue.

"Sky," she hears Talia whisper before a bare hand appears in her vision. She blinks, pulling back instinctively to bring it into focus. When she realizes that Talia is offering she brings her own hand up and -using her teeth- tears the leather glove off.

"Stop me when," she starts only to get a grunt of acknowledgement from her friend. She quickly takes her friend's hand and the glow that she was looking for appears in the small space between Hawke and her hand.

The wound is long, jagged, and with every pump of Hawke's heart there is a new swell of blood. Skylar has already been coated with at least five different men's blood but the Ferelden's blood is thicker than theirs, heavier. Within a minute the wound has barely grown smaller and she worries that perhaps there is a trace of poison in there.

Before she can switch tactics Talia's hand is yanked away and the magic sputters out. Worried and angry at the same time she looks up at her friend only to realize that she had pulled too much too fast.

Talia's normally mildly tanned skin has become pale, extremely so. Her eyes narrow at the warrior and she realizes, with dread, that the magic level in her friend is too low. She fists her hand and tries to force the magic around her to come to her. "Damn it, I told you not to get hurt!" she scowls at the unconscious rogue when magic continues to slip away from her.

It was Celia's job to heal people, not hers, and with the strange loss of control lately she didn't trust herself to siphon it off Aveline safely!

"I don't have enough magic to fix her!" she snaps anxiously at Talia, her body starting to shudder as the symptoms begin to show.

Another hand is shoved into her line of sight and she jerks her head up to look at Aveline. "Save my friend," she orders briskly, her hand outstretched to the rogue. Skylar didn't have to be told but she quickly snaps an order out to Talia as she takes Aveline's hand. She wasn't surprised to find that the woman's level was on the high end of the average range. As she channels the magic from Aveline to Hawke she converts it into healing magic, giving it a boost from her own stores, not that there was a lot left anyway.

All too soon Aveline has been yanked away from her and she scowls irritably at everything. She looks down at the wound, worried as she sees that the wound has closed only a fraction more. The warriors were exhausted from the skirmish and so was she. They did not have anything to spare for this task before this and now, she'd be surprise if they manage to stay conscious.

She joins her second hand with the first, closing her eyes as she tries to pull in the strands of magic.

"What's taking so long!" she suddenly hears Aveline shout before a shuffle happens behind her.

Unprepared for anything she is bumped into by the women behind her and her body falls forward unwillingly. Her hands, already so close to Hawke's body, touches her and she goes rigid at the amount of magic flooding into her. Before she could stop the torrent her eyesight is blinded by a flash of white and a force similar to the spirit bolt slams into her, sending her sprawling into the nearest cliff wall.

_**Please review and lemme know what you think! And hopefully I'll have the next chapter up relatively soon! Thank you for taking the time to read this!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**I just realized that I probably haven't added the disclaimers lately. So here we go! I own nothing except the plot and the original characters (Skylar, Talia, Celia are just to name a few!) Okay, have at it folks!**_

_**Oh, give a shout out to wunder wolfer for reading over this chapter and helping me with the plot bunnies!**_

_**Chapter 3**_

Pain, weakness, and silence, those are her only companions as she lays on the dirt in a daze. The darkness in her vision slowly starts to fade away and the feelings in her limbs start to return. That of course, just made the pain along her back even worse than before. She tries to pull her arms to her chest but stop shortly afterwards when the lancing pain gets too much.

The silence that has engulfed her after being hit by whatever that was has faded a bit she can hear a slew of cursing somewhere to her right. She knows that to be Talia. While somewhere to her left she hears someone muttering to the Maker, she can only guess that to be Aveline since Hawke - last she checked- is unconscious.

"Hawke!" That would be Aveline, her voice deep and grating against her pounding head.

"Skylar!" Talia's voice, even worse than Aveline and far, far closer, she can feel her friend scrambling to reach her.

With a groan the white streaked brunette tries to get situated, do anything to push up. No matter what she does she hates being defenseless and lying flat on her belly is one of the worse positions she could end up in.

"Skylar," this time Talia didn't shout. Her voice was soft and worried - something she has heard countless time before - and a hand touches her back. A mere brush of contact but it is enough to set her back alight with pain. A strangled gasp escapes her throat as she tries to get away from the pain, a futile attempt but an attempt in either case. The hand disappears from her quickly and it takes some time for the burn to vanish.

"Oh Maker," she hears her friend whisper as a hand brush away her hair.

"Tal," she whispers back. She could feel that burn along her back slowly disappear. At a rate that is faster than her usual heal time. Something she hadn't experienced in quite some time.

"Oh Maker, did you break something?" Talia asks worriedly, her hand hovering over her friend's back, unwilling to risk it again.

A pained chuckle escapes Skylar's mouth before she manages to move slightly. For the first time in a while she feels like she isn't running low on magic. "Don't think so," she mumbles softly before she pulls at her magic reserve. A near cry of triumph escapes when she feels the cool touch of magic rise from within and she manipulate it into healing, spreading it along her body.

Talia didn't need to see magic to know that somehow her friend managed to get enough magic to heal whatever damage she had incurred from being flung into a cliff side. When Skylar starts to shift her weight she quickly helps her, pulling her up as careful as she can be.

"Good as new," Skylar jokes with an easy smile on her face. Her eyes stray over to where she last seen Hawke and finds her being helped up by the ginger Guardswoman - a relieved sigh escapes her mouth when she sees that the Ferelden rogue isn't bleeding anymore.

Of course that easy smile on her face disappears when Aveline turns on her with an angry look. Startled by the change she was unprepared to dodge the advancing ginger woman and was slammed harshly into the cliff side. For perhaps a minute her head seems to twitter with small birds circling her head.

"What did you do?!" Aveline demands, her fists curled in the rogue's tunic. Skylar could barely touch the ground with the tip of her shoes, her hands wrapped around the warrior's wrists as if to restrain her - a futile attempt to be quite honest.

Talia rooted where she stands by the suddenness of Aveline's attack moves to yank the ginger woman away from her friend. She stops when Skylar gives her a hand sign but remains tense nonetheless.

"I did nothing except heal your friend," Skylar answers. "Something I thought you'd be grateful for, Aveline." Something she said must have angered the ginger guardswoman because she pulls the rogue from the wall for just a fraction of a second before slamming her into it again. "Oi!"

"Don't play with me Skylar!" Aveline snaps. "What did you do to us?! You did something to Talia to heal my friend and despite my better judgment I allowed you to do it to me as well!" She slams Skylar onto the wall a third time.

"Ow, Aveline, easy with the head!" Skylar protests before cursing when the warrior ignores her and does it again. "Damn it! I took magic, ok! I took your mana!"

"You took MANA?!" Aveline all but screams at Skylar. "How is that possible? Actually you know what, at this precise moment I just don't care." The poor rogue was slammed into the wall again and the pained groan that escapes her mouth has Talia reaching for her friend.

"If I may-," the redhead starts but doesn't get the chance to continue.

"This does not concern you!" Aveline snaps at her - not even turning her attention away from Skylar to say this.

"I would like to differ," Talia starts to say with a huff before Skylar gives her a warning look. The rogue - despites many people's opinions is not a masochist - doesn't want to get slammed into the cliff again.

"You should have used Lyrium, Skylar! You could have risked killing Hawke or yourself with that bloody trick!"

"Hey, I wouldn't have allowed something like that to happen," she protests before getting slammed again. "Ow, damn it Aveline! I can't use Lyrium. It's like injecting poison directly into my veins!" Skylar scowls at Aveline before finally tiring of being held up and grips the warrior's wrists in such a way that it caused her pain. Aveline drops her back onto her feet and rubs her now tender wrists while Skylar flexes her hands.

"Would you have me die in preference of using Lyrium?" Skylar questions her. "Knowing full well that just the tiniest drop of that liquid will cause my blood to boil within my own skin? To attack my every organ with a vengeance? I barely survived the first potion as a child."

"It's true," Talia speaks up only to be silenced by Aveline's glare. By the Maker, Aveline is scary when she's mad!

Aveline scowls at Skylar giving her one last push into the Cliffside before walking off. Skylar, having been slammed into the hard wall more than six times already - or so it seems - groans and clutch her head. "By the blight, what did I do to anger that woman," she gripes, rubbing the tender spot on her head.

"Oh, I don't know," Talia starts, "perhaps the fact that her friend Hawke was nearly killed in the field?"

"Like that's any of my fault," Skylar protests, following Talia - who has begun to tail after Hawke and Aveline. "It's not like I held the blighted sword that damn well near disemboweled her." She keeps rubbing her aching head before finally she quickens her pace. "Tal, can you spare a bit?" she asks, her lips forming a pout almost instinctively as she draws even with the redhead.

"Mmm…" the redheaded warrior thinks it over for a moment before grinning mischievously at her friend. "Nope."

"What?!" Skylar's jaw drops in disbelief while Talia chuckles and jogs on ahead of her. "Get back here woman!" She shouts chasing after the warrior, past Aveline and Hawke and quite a way ahead.

By the time her body decides - or rather screams - that enough is enough she is doubled over, her hands on her knees and her body suffering the tremors again. The heavy feeling has settled back into her chest as well. All in all, she wasn't feeling good anymore.

Talia turns back as she runs and her laughter ends abruptly as see Skylar doubled over in pain. She runs back for her friend and belatedly realizes just how much of a bad idea her joke had been. She can see it now in the pained expression of her friend that it is becoming hard for her to breath. "I'm sorry," she mutters, removing her glove and gauntlet - offering her bare hand to her friend. She gets a thankful look from the white streaked brunette before the rogue clasps their hands together.

Magic glows briefly around their hands before disappearing rapidly into Skylar - her dull blue eyes lightening up to the familiar icy look. The pale pallor disappears from Skylar's face and the symptoms that has plagued her friend for quite some time finally disappears. For the present moment anyway.

"Feel better?" Talia asks her friend, pulling away when she starts to feel fatigued. She slips her gauntlet back on and notices that the one that covered Skylar's right hand has been lost. "Where's yours?" she question - gesturing towards her friend's hand.

Skylar looks down at her bare hand - flexing her fingers - before cursing. "Well this is a fine time to lose the blighted thing," she sighs before removing the other one, causing Talia to move away from her friend just slightly. "I am not going to steal all your magic, Talia," A partial joke which Talia took seriously. She has seen what happen when the rogue takes all of the magic within an enemy. A dried up mummy seems to be an accurate description for what happened. A rather horrifying experience for many people who are used to the gentler - though she use the term lightly - side of Skylar.

"I would prefer not to be an accident nevertheless," she tells the rogue who merely shrugs her shoulders. "Though I do believe we should find you a new pair soon."

"Sounds like a right idea if I do say so myself," Skylar agrees with before gesturing for her friend to quiet, sensing something at the edge of her field. She uses their signs to communicate with Talia to go back and wait for the others - who are still quite a way behind - and using a combination of her stealth and magic she moves on ahead.

Slinking through the shadows much like one of the wild jungle cats she has once encountered in her journey she edges her way closer to the source of the sensation. It takes her some time because just because she is cloaked by magic and using stealth does not mean that she is invisible to the naked eye. There are other senses that can give her away.

Once she reaches the source of her mystery she kneels in the darkest shadow she can find and watches as a group of armored men help themselves to some sort of meal. There are some that walks in and out of a nearby cave and she nods to herself. Their attire suggests they are the mercenaries that they have been looking for.

She watches them until she senses Talia's presence somewhere close. Surprised to feel her that close without the usual clank of her armor she shifts slightly in her spot before nodding to herself. Time to check on the others and tell them what she found.

* * *

She finds them gathered close by, Aveline and Talia carrying their armor with an irritated look on their faces. It takes her a minute to locate Hawke but when she does she notices that the rogue is perched pretty up high - causing her to rationalize that she is waiting for something. "Hawke," she calls softly up to the rogue who has been sharpening her daggers in preparation.

Within seconds the Ferelden rogue has returned to the ground, her icy eyes glinting in the low sun. "What do you have?"

"Those are our mercenaries from the looks of it. There's about ten of them outside the cave - around a campfire. Looks liked they are enjoying a meal." Skylar kneels down and in the dirt sketches out a rough map of the area surrounding the cave with her boot knife. "This is where their camp is at," she explains, putting an X there to mark the spot, "and this is where the entrance of the cave is at" She puts a circle there to mark that spot. "There's only one way in," she draws an arrow to demonstrate this. "What do you want to do?" she questions Hawke.

"Looks like we have no choice but to go into this way," Hawke mutters, tracing her fingers along the scoring in the dirt. "Skylar…" she looks at the white streaked brunette. Before she can say anything she gets a nod from the rogue, her icy blue eyes glancing briefly up at the warriors by them. She knows without a shadow of a doubt that they are on the same wavelength with her idea.

"Ok," she says, straightening up to clasp a hand on Aveline and Talia's shoulders. "You two, get as close as you can to the entrance without being seen - with your armors off still. Then when you get there put your armor on and wait for a signal from Skylar and I." She cuts off their protests by raising a hand. "Skylar and I are rogues - we'll do fine without you guys for a few moments. Just give us a signal when you have your armor on again."

Aveline nods her head reluctantly before going to her position, taking great care to walk there unnoticed. Talia - however - lingers for a moment, waiting to talk with Skylar. Her friend - upon noticing Talia - tells Hawke to go up ahead of her before walking over to her. "Are you sure about this idea, Skylar?"

"Talia… I know you're worried about me, I understand that. I truly do," she makes sure to touch only the tunic - knowing that her friend needs her strength - before moving away slightly. "But I can stand on my own. Besides, you and I both know that as an Assassin there's nothing to worry about." That does not reassure the warrior and she knew it. She sighs before moving on quietly telling Talia to move into position.

It doesn't take long for them to take their positions and for the warriors to replace their armor. By this point the mercenaries have - for a lack of better wordings - fallen prey to comforts. At least three of the ten mercenaries standing guard have taken to drinking spirits. Already with at least three more prepared to join them. The rest are playing some sort of game, Wicked Grace from the looks of it.

"I dare say they are prepared for an attack," Skylar mutters sarcastically to Hawke, getting a soft chuckle of agreement. Hawke - on a look out for Aveline and Talia's signal - nudges the other rogue when she sees a flash of color just out of sight of the mercenaries. Not that they would have seen it with their attention so entrenched in their own activities. Worse guards ever.

"It's time."

* * *

Skylar pops into the middle of their game - one second nothing, and the next she stood on the game pieces, a whirlwind of action. Two daggers already thrown into the throats of two men and the short sword swinging at a third's. Hawke jumping in from above takes out three on her own in a matter of seconds. Together they move to silence the remaining four, their blades finding purchase in the drunkards' throats or chest.

She brutally slams into her last victim, bare hands grabbing his face - one hand covering his mouth to silence any noise. Her eyes begin to glow and the facial tattoos begins to darken just the slightest bit as she drains the last of his mana - his stamina reversing back into pure mana as a result of her ability. Below her the lean body of the mercenary starts to dry - the skin tightening onto the bones, organs shriveling into near non-existence - until every last drop was within her. With a sigh she pulls her hands away and moves off the mummified corpse, brushing herself off.

"What did you-," she hears Aveline start, her voice heavy with disbelief.

"Well… that's impressive," Hawke says as Skylar turns to face them. Talia walks up to her friend, her gloved hand seizing the woman's chin to turn her head slightly to the side.

"Mmm, you overdid it a bit," the redhead comments when she sees the darker shade of red in her friend's tattoo. "How do you feel?"

"Just a bit full… and I think I have a slight buzz," Skylar confesses, rubbing her temples.

"Well, that was to be expected considering the fact that this one may have been drunk," Hawke comments, nudging the corpse with her booted feet. "Though how you can experience his buzz I have not the slightest clue."

Skylar walks over to the corpse pulling free the flask that held the spirit which he has been drinking. "Sometimes, there are drinks that can affect the stamina of a warrior or rogue," she starts to explain. "When I pull from someone of those classes their stamina are converted to mana." She tosses the flask to Talia.

"So… you're not just taking magic?" Hawke questions, trying to understand this.

"She is taking magic. Magic is the fundamental part of life," Talia takes over the explanation as she stores the flask into her knapsack. "For those who are not born with the ability to manipulate the magic it gets converted into stamina." Skylar nods her head in agreement.

"That… makes a bit of sense." Hawke mutters, glancing at Aveline. "In any case we need to get going." She pats Aveline and then Talia on the back. "C'mon, Skylar, lets scout ahead." Skylar nods her head and together they enter the caves, as silent as - well, the quietest thing in the world perhaps.

After letting their eyes adjust to the dim light within the caves they scouted the immediate area before signaling for the warriors to enter. "They might at the back of the cave," Skylar mutters softly, glancing at Hawke for her opinion. When the Ferelden rogue nods her head in agreement they head deeper into the caves - taking point once again.

* * *

By the time they find the kidnapped boy, along with more mercenaries and their leader Skylar has long since lost her good mood. Every batch of mercenaries they run into she would drain at least one of them completely dry to supplement her magic - somehow managing to balance the drain with their strength. The drain plus her usual antics in battle lead to a severe loss of magic, not counting the times when she has to heal Aveline or Hawke's injuries - Talia refuses to allow her to heal her injuries unless they are serious. Her own injuries she has to leave well to nature or somehow manage to spare enough magic to heal the worse of them on top of the injuries of the two Fereldens.

In other words, she is extremely irritable with the extremely low magic within her and is prepared to drain two simultaneously just to supplement herself.

Hawke and Aveline - unused to this side of Skylar - has chosen to keep their distance from her during those times while Talia hovers protectively close by, her sword ready to intercept anyone just in case.

Skylar - in a rush to end this - locks onto the only mage in the room and began to fight with the woman. Magic dodged and going astray, as the two women fight. Using only a dagger Skylar cuts down anyone who foolishly gets near her - seizing hold of them to take their dying strength - as she directs spells after spells at the mage.

Madness is thrown around them and Skylar can feel the raise of a dark taint in the air. Glowing icy blue eyes quickly dart around, taking in the views, before she lunges forward at the mage just as corpses rise up from the ground.

Too late she tries to stop her motion before getting a sword rammed straight into her stomach. Gasping from the pain of it she stumbles back - Talia's voice screaming her name - as she pulls away from the corpse's sword.

Removing her second dagger - just barely sparing the mage a look - she falls back into instincts. Blades snapping bones and necks, legs and feet cracking the contradicting bodies of the animated dead, and can sense the other mercenaries finally fall under her companions' assault.

Blood runs down her leg and she takes a position as the mage prepares another spell. "Any last words?" the mage questions, medium dark blonde hair tossed around by the magic she is summoning.

Skylar doesn't answer at first, holding her daggers strangely before her, parallel to the ground with perhaps a foot distance between them - one over the other. The mage - curious as to what this rogue is doing - holds her spell for a minute longer than usual. Skylar's icy eyes starts to glow a brilliant white as a spark appears between her blades. Rapidly growing until there is a good size ball of energy floating between them.

"What in the-," the mage starts weakly.

"Like it?" Skylar smirks as she moves her hands, keeping the tips of the swords close to one another the ball of magic following the motions easily. "Been a long time coming," she comments idly.

Sensing the danger the mage quickly starts to chant but before she can utter the last syllable of her spell Skylar has already whipped around and using her dagger as a conduct throws the ball at the blood mage. It hits her, like lightning or perhaps similar to a spirit bolt but more condensed - twice as lethal. Just about near cooking her body from the inside yet at the same time her magic drains away from her as she falls to the ground.

Skylar glances at the others to find that they have finished their opponents so she walks up to the mage - nudging her in the side to test to see if she is still alive or conscious. Her chest moves still so she kneels down, her hand prepared to bridge the last distance and make the connection. Until Talia grabs her hand - stilling her.

"What?" she questions her friend, her eyes narrowing.

"She was a blood mage, Skylar," Talia mutters, "Are you sure you want to take that kind of magic?" Skylar eyes her for a moment before glancing around the cavern. "There's no other living person here aside from the son we are to rescue," Talia continues, noticing her friend's eyes.

"In that case," Skylar mumbles, "I have no other choice."

"You always have a choice Skylar," Talia whispers to her friend - releasing her hand. "Hawke, the cage that the kid is in - it's locked. Do you mind?" Hawke nods her head eager to get away from Skylar. She had to watch one too many times already and it is extremely disturbing to watch the flesh dry as if it has spent years locked up somewhere dry and hot. Aveline reluctant to be anywhere near the rogue/mage lingers close by in case there turn out to be survivors.

"Why do you do that?" Aveline questions after it has all been said and done and - upon looking closely at the tattoos on the brunette's face - the red tint has darken a great deal.

Skylar dusts off her hands for a moment before pulling aside the armor for a moment to check on the deep and rather severe wound she had picked up. She nods to herself when she sees that it has completely healed. "I need magic like you need air and water to live," she tells the ginger warrior. "You already know that I can't use Lyrium like any mage. I also can't use the Stamina draught," Skylar continues. "My entire life is dependent on magic."

She settles the armor back into their place and turns to look at Aveline. "I don't like having to live like this; utterly dependent on those who supply magic to me and stealing it from my enemies." She spreads her fingers out for a second flexing her hands. "You have no idea how it feels, to always rely on something that you have to take from people or nature…" She shakes her hand and rubs her neck. "C'mon, we better go catch up with the others."

Aveline watches Skylar jog away, her eyes dark as she considers the rogue's answer to her question and what else she has learned. A dangerous ally but an even worse foe. She looks at the mummified corpse of the blood mage. Yes, a truly dangerous foe. She looks at Skylar's back and for the first time she notices that from behind - with the white streaks concentrated at the bangs and therefore not visible at the moment- she looks eerily like Hawke.

* * *

Skylar presses a hand against the spot where the sword had pierced her - feeling the phantom pain as they walk down the path. Behind her she can feel Aveline and Talia's respective stares - one is trying to take her apart and the other is concerned. Between the two warriors walk the boy whom they have rescued. She spares the kid a glance before nudging Hawke with her elbow. "The kid looks like he's going to fall over," she tells the Ferelden rogue.

Hawke looks at the boy in question before nodding her head in agreement. "Aveline, Talia, Skylar and I are going ahead to find a clearing," she calls back to the two women. She waits for their acknowledgements before beckoning for Skylar to follow.

They didn't travel that far before Hawke decided she has a question. "How hard is it, for you to take magic?"

Skylar doesn't answer for a moment, her eyes intent on their surroundings. "On a good day? It's pretty easy," she finally answers the Ferelden rogue. "I can just reach out and grab the coils of magic," she explains, mimicking as if she is reaching for some invisible yarn or thread.

"On a bad day?" Hawke asks, recalling that just that morning the white streaked brunette had been griping about not having enough magic.

"On a bad day I can't grab anything. It's similar to cupping your hands and trying to get water. But it keeps slipping through your fingers no matter how much you try to prevent it." Skylar pulls free a short dagger, twirling it for a moment before holding it properly in her hand. "Watch this," she tells the rogue before focusing on the serrated edges of the blade with her magic, sending a current through it before slowly swinging her dagger.

Before Hawke's very eye she sees green strands catch on the edge of the dagger - strands that connect to the grass below their feet. Other strands catches on the edge and she stares in awe as she begins to see the different elemental magic dancing along the edges of the dagger. "What…"

"Magic," Skylar answers without waiting to hear the whole of the question. "Pure magic in its rarest form." She smiles at the stunned look on Hawke's face. "I can see it, all the time. I can feel it brush against my skin."

"Is this what mages see all the time?"

"No… it's a rare ability. Apparently it used to be very common in the older days. Before the days of the Tevinter Imperium." Skylar fiddles with something around her neck before sighing. "The Tevinter Imperium were among the first to exploit this ability. It lead to a whole world of trouble apparently."

"What you mean?" Hawke questions. All she gets is a shrug from the rogue and she notices that her icy blue eyes are distant like she is lost in some sort of memory. She leaves the rogue alone for the moment aware that it may be a painful memory for the brunette.

"Hey," Skylar calls suddenly, an arm out in front of Hawke to prevent her from continuing. "Do you hear that?" The rogues stay quiet for the moment matching expressions on their faces before Hawke's breaks for a smile.

"No way…" she says in awe while Skylar grins like a five year old child with a brand new toy. The excited rogue could only nod her head and turns partly towards the clearing before pausing.

"Do you… do you want me to tell them…?" she asks, glancing back to where they can see the warriors and their charge walking.

"I'll go ahead and scout the area," Hawke tells Skylar before disappearing into the foliage. The rogue laughs after the Ferelden's retreating back before jogging towards the warriors.

"Hey," she calls out to them, "We found a spot. It's not too far from here."

Talia takes one look at Skylar's expression and she knew that whatever she found was something that would probably enable them to wash off the blood. Nothing else would excite the rogue, that wasn't Celia shaped anyway. "What did you find, a waterfall?" she asks, smirking when she sees the excited bounce return.

That is, until Skylar notices the smirk and gives her a glare - making a conscious effort not to act like a child whose surprise has been spoilt. "Just go and get the kid there!" she huffs, sulking away with the warriors laughing behind her.

* * *

By the time they have set camp up the moon has already been up for several hours. The boy finally comforted into sleep lays in one of their tents. Aveline posted for sentinel at that moment sits by the campfire, poking at it every once in a while. Hawke, Talia, and Skylar - seeking to wash themselves off - retreat to the pool with the waterfall crashing down.

Hawke and Skylar immediately took to removing their armors and clothes, discarding them in their own respective piles and plunging into the rather icy waters. While Talia - one to be careful with everything especially her precious armor - takes her time to remove her armor and set them out of reach of water. By the time she has removed everything - her clothes included - the rogues have already washed off most if not all of the blood on their body.

Talia quickly jumps into the water, splashing Skylar as a result. Scowling in mock outrage Skylar splashes her longtime friend, hurrying away before the warrior can get her back. Only to bump straight into Hawke.

Unbidden Hawke's magic rushes into her and she doubles over, her face sinking under the surface of the water as it feels like something just washed away the darkness inside her. Scouring away the taints from the years of siphoning the dark mana from mages and non-mages; emotions clinging to the magic like a bad aftertaste things that always carry into her no matter the victim. It is a strange sensation that has her weak in the knees - a dangerous feat when swimming.

She feels a pair of arms wrap around her - her body going rigid as another flood of Hawke's magic floods into her before she manage to seal off her siphon magic. By that point a great deal has surged through her - burning her insides with its pure emotionless mana.

"Skylar, Skylar, are you ok?" she hears Talia and Hawke's voices overlap. Her face now out of the water and able to breathe easily again she wraps an arm around Talia's shoulders, pulling herself away from Hawke by sheer effort.

"Skylar?" Hawke whispers, stunned by what happened her voice betraying a hint of fatigue as a result of Skylar's active magic.

"Pure unaltered magic," Skylar mutters as Talia rubs her back, idly tracing an old scar branded across the plane of her back. "Like an ocean full of magic buried deep inside of you, Hawke."

"That's… bad?" she hears Hawke question.

"… I don't know," Talia mutters before she slowly untangles Skylar's arms from her, her hand cupping her friend's face. The tattoos on her face - twisting from just above her eyebrows, around the corners of her eyes and ending partially on her cheeks - have gained a deeper red. A shade that had slowly lost its color in the last few hours. "How much did you take?" she asks.

"I - It just rushed in," Skylar mutters, "I wasn't ready for it."

"How much?"

"I don't know." Skylar pulls away from Talia and starts for the shore.

Talia and Hawke linger for a minute longer before following after the rogue. Hawke, the first to reach the shore after Skylar, reaches out to grab her until she sees something from the reflection of the moonlight off the water. "What in the -," she starts to say, her fingers tip brushing against a rather large and gruesome scar on the entirety of the rogue's back.

"A parting gift," Skylar explains as she pulls on her undergarments, "of a traitorous son of a bitch - forgive me messere." Hawke just barely managed to catch the last part of what Skylar said and even then she feels like there was something she missed.

Talia walks up to her and lays a casual hand on the scar. "An old friend of ours decided to go his own separate ways. But not without his sister," Talia starts to explain. "They were… twins - always together."

"But their views on what is right and wrong," Skylar stars, touching the lower half of her scar, "differed a lot. He wanted to do things that she was greatly opposed to. She often sided with me as well…"

"One day they had a disagreement about something. He left and when he came back - … He kidnapped his own sister and we all went after him. Skylar went ahead of us and well… he knew how she worked." She gestures at the scar. "The result of his betrayal…"

"What did this?"

"Lyrium," Skylar answers, "Diluted Lyrium…" The rogue puts on her tunic, picks up her armor and walks off without another word.

Hawke looks at Talia who sighs. "Touchy subject?"

"Like you wouldn't dream of," Talia answers before going after her friend, her armor and clothes under her arms.

Hawke couldn't get the scar out of her mind. In some odd way it looks like a dragon but it had been twisted, its wings obviously broken and she wonders if she had imagined it, that the dragon was biting its own tail. What had that supposed to mean and why did that brother do it to her?

_**I hope ya'll like the chapter! Lemme know what you think and if there is something I can improve! :) That is what a writer do after all :P**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Please give a lovely round of applause for wunder wolfer for reviewing and getting this back to me so quickly! On that note, here's the next chapter folks!**_

_**Chapter 4**_

Skylar didn't sleep a wink that night. Her entire body - buzzing from the magic gleaned from Hawke - feels like she can fight at least one hundred men without breaking a sweat. Add the fact that the Ferelden rogue saw her scar created an extremely restless woman. Talia could sense her mood but after attempting to stay awake - nodding off several times and jerking out of the edge of sleep - the rogue finally forced her friend to lay down and give in to her body's needs.

The warrior - refusing to be apart from her friend any longer than necessary - took Skylar's lap as her personal pillow. Despite the annoyance of her friend she doesn't shove the redhead away cherishing the warmth and comfort of the Antivan warrior. "How long… how much longer will this take?" she mutters softly to herself, unhappy as she sits surrounded by Hawke's life. A life that she has no place in.

Perfect, happy, with the right amount of chaos - a life she always wanted growing up. A life she gave up when she became a famed assassin all across Thedas. There wasn't a country she took a job and completed it. She may have not come to Kirkwall personally prior this year but she has taken jobs in the Free Marches. Yet as she sits here listening to Hawke and Aveline's breathing, watching the fire, she feels as if she is just in arms reach of finding a home to fit in. So close and yet so very far.

She shakes her head and rubs her hand against her temple. They needed to complete this job quickly before they become too attached. By the Maker she can already see the problems that will surely pop up as a result! No, it is best to keep them at arm's length but how?

She ponders the question for a vast majority of the night but by the time the sun rises she is no closer to the answer than before.

Talia when she wakes up, immediately could sense Skylar's mood. She reaches out and runs her fingers through her friend's hair, making sure to tug lightly on the back. Slowly but surely she can feel her loosen up - soothed by the slight pain. Talia couldn't figure out why the pain always calmed her perhaps something happened to her while growing up. Maybe she had to get used to falling to sleep with pain as her companion.

"You feeling okay?" she asks her friend when she starts to feel a soft rumble in the rogue's chest.

"Better," Skylar mumbles softly, relaxing into Talia's side with a grateful mutter. The rest of the camp have not yet woken up so when Talia feels her friend closing her eyes as she relaxes she doesn't do anything to keep her awake. Habits - drummed into the rogue over the years - often has the woman up at the oddest hours as a result of her job. "Much… better."

"I'm glad," Talia whispers as she strokes her friend's neck.

* * *

Skylar was able to catch maybe an hour or two of sleep before Hawke roused herself. With one other person awake besides her Hawke decides that it is time to break camp and goes to wake Aveline - leaving Skylar to Talia.

The rogue - never one to sleep so heavily - was easy for the warrior to awaken. A simple brush against the skin serves to give Skylar a little jolt for the day as well rouse her. Talia traces the tattoos on her friend's face for a moment longer while Skylar is still in between full awareness and sleep. Taking advantage of the rare moment when the white streaked brunette does not have her guard up and she can leave her emotions unguarded for just that second.

"Tal?" Skylar mumbles, her voice just a bit husky from sleep.

"Hey, good morning," Talia whispers before pulling away. "Hawke wants to break camp. She thinks we'd be back in Kirkwall by midday if we leave now." Skylar mutters something that she couldn't catch but the lazy smile on her face indicated that she may have said something regarding Celia. A frown appears on Talia's face briefly before disappearing - the warrior quickly wandering off to help destroy any evidence of their presence.

Within an hour the group were well on their way - a quick meal made of rations and water for the boy. Hawke and Aveline leading the way, Skylar with the boy by her side and Talia serving as the rear guard. After maybe two hours of traveling - much of it spend quiet with a rather brooding boy - Skylar starts to crack and she makes it her personal mission to get the child to 'cheer up'.

First it was jokes none of which hits their marks. So she tries other silly antics. None of that worked either. Finally she takes to juggling - a trick she learned growing up. Unfortunately she has none of her juggling balls - bulky little things - so she improvises by using her boot knives, knives about half the length of her forearm. Surprisingly enough that was able to get the boy out of his shell and he smiled at her.

Boys - she realizes - will always be impressed by dangerous and reckless things. So she grabs a thick shaft of wood and set upon it with her knife, trading places with Talia so that the kid will have someone to give him some form of entertainment. It doesn't take her long to finish her project. By the time she has completed it they have nearly reached the kid's home - where they will find their employer and his father.

After dropping the kid off - with a little hand-carved sword from Skylar - and receiving their reward the group went their separate ways. Aveline went back to the Keep with Hawke in tow - her home not far from the place anyhow. Skylar and Talia - exhausted and in need of food - went to pick up Celia before going in search of some form of food.

* * *

The errands took the trio more than half of the day, what with Celia cherishing the fresh air while in Hightown. It left them just enough light for the trio to make their way back to the Hanging Man. Well, Talia and Celia made their way back to the tavern while Skylar excuses herself and makes a trip to the Blooming Rose. Fifty silvers find her in the company of a pretty lass - a tall woman just a few inches shy of her own height, dark hazel eyes, and dark curly hair cropped to the shoulders. A company that has her feeling numb inside after she pays and the woman leaves the room.

Her back to the door, staring out of the window, Skylar ponders the wisdom of the job she had taken. Killing someone is not something she objects to. She does it on a daily basis. But… something was bugging her - bothering her. With a sigh she drags herself out of the bed, dressing herself.

"Well, I certainly wish I could say that this is a surprise," she hears a familiar voice say, just as she pulls on her trousers. She turns partially towards the door to find the shape of a certain pirate leaning against the door frame. "It has been a long time," Isabela comments as she enters the room, shutting the door behind her.

"It has indeed," Skylar replies softly, uncaring that she is naked from the waist up. It's not like Isabela hasn't seen it all before. Perhaps the scars and tattoos are new but her body - it was the same as the last time they had a good tumble. "What brings you to the Blooming Rose? I was under the impression that you and Hawke had a good deal going on," she continues, turning to face the pirate.

"I…" Isabela sighs and sits on the edge of the bed burying her face in her hands.

"I take that things are either unwell or…" Skylar pauses to sit next to the pirate, "you managed to break your own rule." She gets a long low groan from the woman. "Ah, so you did." She shakes her head and rubs Isabela's back. "Did I not say that one day you will fall for someone?"

"That doesn't make this better!"

"Come on now, Hawke is not that bad of a catch!" Skylar cannot help but laugh finding this conversation strange no matter how she looks at it.

"You haven't -," the pirate starts to say before the rogue cuts her off.

"Maker's breath, no! I have enough to worry about with my jobs and such. I have not the time to be fooling with a friend's lover!"

"Yet you come to the Blooming Rose?" Isabela questions, finding the holes in the rogue's defenses. Skylar doesn't say anything in response. "What's really the problem, Skylar?"

The rogue bows her head for a moment before sighing as she leans back onto her hands. "I… I have a problem." She looks at the pirate to find her staring at her with her golden rod eyes. "A moral sort of problem."

Isabela waits for her to continue. When it becomes clear that the rogue isn't she prods the woman in the leg through her trousers, keeping her skin well away from the assassin, after all she was well familiar with her skills. "Are you going to tell me or are you just going to sit there with that 'woe is me' attitude?"

Skylar chuckles at the pirate's choice of words. Trust Isabela to know just what to say to amuse the bloody hell out of her. "You remember my job?" she decides to ask her.

"Mm… assassin for hire?"

"Yes."

"In that case, yes I do. What does that have to do with anything?" Isabela asks before pausing, looking at the rather tense woman with a frown. "You're here in Kirkwall for a job?"

"No… just before we came here actually," Skylar sighs, shaking her head. "I took a job that had me stay in Ferelden much longer than I had originally planned." Isabela nods her head, recalling that they had crossed paths while she was helping the Grey Warden - future Hero of Ferelden. Skylar had gone to Ferelden in search for someone - supposedly a target or perhaps a friend - and had lingered around long enough to help Isabela out of a tight spot or two.

She kicks off her boots and crosses her legs, fully facing Skylar now. "I… tracked my target down to a port and was told that they were traveling with a group. Several of the villagers told me that some of the group looks just like him. I didn't pay much attention to their words." The rogue allows herself to fall completely onto her back, staring at the red material. "So I continued after my target until… Well, let's just say I found them."

Isabela hesitates for a moment before reaching out to touch the rogue's hair. "What happened?"

"… He bargained with me. I… I couldn't kill him because of the children running around the camp. Two little ones… no mothers, no one to play the motherly figure in any case. Two warriors and a hunter were traveling with my target and his children. None of them would have cared for them should I have killed him so I… spared him." Skylar reaches up and grabs Isabela's hand, stopping her smoothing comfort - keeping her siphon magic at bay. "He sent me after a new target, after someone who owes him a great deal."

"He wants you to kill this person?" Isabela questions, her eyes lingering for just a second on Skylar's hand.

"No, he actually wants me to track this person down. To contact him when I find the target and keep an eye on the situation until he arrives." Skylar sighs and pulls away from Isabela.

"So how is this a moral problem?" Isabela asks. "If it's causing such a big problem why don't you just drop the job?"

"The moral is… how can I turn this person in - someone who has their own life, their own family - when I just spared someone with two kids?"

Isabela frowns at her friend before shaking her head. "You opened a door to your own emotions, Skylar. Now… well, you have a choice. Close the door again and continue down the road you have taken. Or… spare this target like you did the one before and leave the job and disappear."

Skylar turns to look at Isabela for a moment. "I… I can't abandon this job because… he has my lover." The pirate's eyes goes wide at the realization of why this is so important to her. The Assassin rarely ever lets people in - it took her nearly two years to get close to the woman and bed her - so she can understand the importance.

"… If this person is truly important to you, Skylar… then we already know how this is going to turn out." Isabela touches the woman's shoulder briefly. "Do what you need to do to save her."

The rogue bows her head for a moment before she eases herself off the bed. She scoops up her tunic and slips it back over her head, considering Isabela's words and the situation that she has found herself in. After some time she nods her head and turns to face the pirate. She leans in quickly to peck the woman on the lips before walking out of the room, her armor tucked away in a knapsack that she had taken to carrying with her.

She pauses for a moment at the door, turning partially towards the pirate. "Isabela," the pirate turns to her with a questioning look, "Hawke loves you. I can see that. Hell, a blind man could see that. And… well - it doesn't take a genius for me to see that you feel the same for her."

The pirate bows her head for a moment. "I know that you're afraid of loving someone. Especially after being married to that idiotic man and… well." The two women stare at each other for a moment before the pirate looks away, fully aware of what Skylar was going to say. "In any case, listen. I've only known Hawke for maybe a week but I know she wants to be with you. So… don't be afraid."

She leaves before Isabela can say anything or see the tight expression on her face.

* * *

When she walks into the room that she is sharing with Talia and Celia she stares at them for a moment before bowing her head. The two women glance at each other, unsure what to make with this situation. "Skylar?" Talia finally questions softly.

"Give me a minute to write the letter," the rogue finally whispers. "With luck he'll be here within a month or two." Celia frowns and nods her head in acceptance while Talia sighs. With disappointment or relief the rogue didn't know and she was afraid to ask because she knew that deep inside her own heart that this wasn't right.

It doesn't take long for her to write the letter and shut it in an envelope - a simple wax seal that would ensure that the retriever knows whether or not the message within has been tampered with. A seal that has a dragon twisted into a circle, biting its own tail. A strange seal that she had fashioned after the brand her former friend gave her. Though why he gave her such a mark she'd never understood.

Something had changed in him when he left that night for the final time. She remembered it clearly. They had just been discussing about the potential risks of having Celia travel with them after rescuing the poor woman from her jailors.

_Flashback_

_Skylarwatches Talia paces the small clearing, her emerald green eyes clearly glancing towards the quiet blonde mage. Unbidden her own eyes travels towards the woman - noting the fact that her wiry legs are pulled to her chest, her arms wrapped them, her eyes empty as she stares back at them - haunted eyes that haveseen too much destruction in her shortlife. _

_Eyes that had begged her for freedom. Eyes which she is responsible for now._

_Close by are the fraternal twins, longtime friends of hers. The brother - a tall warrior with just two inches of an advantage on her, pale grey eyes that makes anyone who gaze into them worry for his health for they look eerily like the eyes of those with the corruption prior to becoming one of the darkspawn. Light brown hair that curls around his ears - no matter how long or short it grows. _

_Next to him is his twin sister, his better half as Skylar likes to think of her. She is a tall mage just a few inches shy of her own height, perhaps four inches shorter than her brother, with dark hazel eyes that seems to change colors depending on the light, and dark curly hair that falls just past her shoulders._

_Their curly hairs are perhaps the only thing that marks that they are not just random people or strangers with a common bond. They have become her friends, even then, it is a bit of a stretch._

_"What do we do with her?" the brunette asks quietly, her hazel eyes glinting from the campfire. Skylar does not need to follow her gaze to know that she's looking at the young mage they had just rescued._

_"What can we do?" Skylar questions. "We've seen what her magic can do," the rogue continues. She had never seen magic attack someone like that - lashing out, burning the skin right off the person's body. Flesh and muscles just melted right off the bones and the poor idiot was still alive before she had the mercy to throw a dagger at the man. A sacrifice of her blade but well worth the silence that came afterwards. _

_All of that was because she became terrified of the men that had rushed at her. Skylar and Talia - with the twins off somewhere else - had killed a vast majority of the men but one had slipped past them and had gotten too close to the young mage. She had never heard such a terrified scream like hers before - before it all went to hell anyway. _

_"Put an end to her," the male warrior speaks his mind, a hand already on his claymore._

_"What if it was your own sister?" Skylar growls at him. He just stares at her blankly and she curses in Ferelden when she sees just how far he's willing to go._

_His own sister however just smacks him on the shoulder. "We will do no such thing." She sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose. "By Andraste's will, this child merely has no training!" They all flinch when the girl whimpers and curls tighter into the protection of her own arms. _

_"I've noticed that as well," Skylar mutters, recalling a moment where the girl was struggling to keep her magic at bay. Crying and repeating a mantra to herself - just before she got her wits scared out of her. That's when it all went to hell. "So I suppose we have two options. Turn her over to the Circle of Magi or…" she looks around the group "we take her in and train her ourselves."_

_"Skylar, neither of you have had proper training," Talia speaks up from her spot, her sword within easy reach but her position spoke of how she sees no danger from the girl._

_The rogue shares a look with the mage before she sighs, rubbing her face. "A valid point, Talia but what else can we do?" The rogue pulls out her boot knife and carves out a rough image of a circle. "I don't know what you know Talia. But the circle, they're not the best place to be in. The Templars - if you're lucky - are nice folks that only want to keep the peace."_

_"If you're unlucky," their friend starts, "they're abusive and likely to turn you Tranquil." Skylar could barely suppress a shudder at the thought of it. Her mentor had spared no words when she told Skylar about every last bit of what might happen behind closed doors - what had happened while she was in a Circle, the Ferelden Circle, and how being turned Tranquil was the worst thing to happen to a mage._

_"The girl has no restraints. She unleashes pure concentrated magic the moment she is startled," her brother argues. "The only reason why we were even able to stop her is because __Skylar__ drained her of most of her magic!" Skylar didn't miss the near growl that he had when he spoke her name. _

_"Ike, I did not raise you to behave like that!" his sister smacks him on the shoulder again before sighing. "He has a fair point though."_

_"I think I missed it with all of the attitude he was giving me," Skylar comments drily. _

_"What's to stop her from losing control again?" Skylar turns to look at the mage with disbelief. "All it would take is a spook and she'd bomb the whole area with magic - enough to make our skins slouch right off."_

_"I could do what I did last time," Skylar comments. "It wouldn't be a hard feat, Amelia."_

_"That's still dangerous. You had burns all across your arms and chest for a week!" Talia protests. _

_"It's better than letting her become Tranquil by sending her to the Templars!" Skylar argues. She looks towards Amelia for support on this matter only to find that the brunette is supporting a frown. "Amelia, no, we cannot send her to the Templars. What if it was me?" _

_Amelia scowls at her for giving her that thought. "Fine, she stays with us." She reaches over and pokes Skylar in the chest, "Don't make me regret this."_

_Her brother growls something in Orlesian before stomping off. She sighs at them before excusing herself to have some words with her brother. _

_End Flashback_

"Skylar," she hears Talia say before she feels her friend's touch on her shoulder. She looks at the redhead, blinking, before looking down at her hand. "Skylar?"

"… The second I get the chance," the rogue mutters softly, "I'm going to kill that bloody bastard." Talia doesn't answer and instead wraps her arms around the woman's shoulders as she removes the letter from Skylar's grasp. So much pain and the rogue still has to feel it - every single moment of the day with every thought on her mind.

* * *

Two days passed before Hawke came around with an invitation for the trio. "My mother is hosting a party at the estate." The Ferelden rogue shrugs her shoulders with a long suffering sigh. "Apparently she thinks I work my friends to the ground without ever pausing to take in the scenery."

That alone has Skylar chuckling like mad at the mental image. Talia had to speak up for her when it became clear that the rogue wasn't going to be able to say anything. So they made plans to go the dinner party - not that they would have refused free food in any case. Food at the Hanging Man was - for a lack of better phrasing - crap.

However, cooking their own food was not exactly a great idea. For Skylar couldn't cook without somehow burning something. She could hunt with the best of them, skin and gut the bloody things but cooking was something out of her skills-range. Talia has some skills for cooking but not much in any case. Just little things here and there - nothing fancy. Celia couldn't cook a thing either, they had tried to teach her some but what lessons she had never stuck. So after many mishaps - one of which nearly burned a forest down - they forbade her from ever going near the campfire while food is made.

Add in the fact that when Skylar gets into a mood she becomes an extremely picky eater - so cooking for the group with her in mind makes Talia's meager skills practically worthless for Skylar would not touch a single thing. Luckily Celia was never a problem for she would eat anything, whether they tasted bad, inedible or anything of the like. Talia's opinion on that is that because the poor woman was locked up for a vast majority of her life - starved and desperate for whatever they would spare her. That was not a mentality one can easily break from not even after four years of freedom.

So for the trio free food is like a life sent - well, for the duo in any case - and when night fell they went up to Hightown, straight to the Hawke estate.

"Great, you made it!" Hawke greets them at the door. Varric and Isabela had left long before the trio had and so were already in the estate. "Wasn't too hard to find was it?" the rogue questions them.

"With the directions it was easy," Skylar replies, removing her daggers at Hawke's request. She motions for Celia to relinquish her staff, placing the thing close to her own daggers and leads the mage away. Talia strips off her shield and sword, as well as her gauntlets but leaves the rest of her armor on. Long standing habits have taught her that it is always better to be safe rather than sorry. "Not to mention that a certain someone likes to visit the Chantry," the rogue adds as Talia walks over to them.

"Hey, I thought we agreed to never mention that again," the redhead protests with a blush that matches her hair. Skylar merely smirks at her while Celia - forever the innocent 'child' in their group - looks between the two before giving Hawke a questioning look.

"Don't look at me, Celia, I have not the foggiest idea what they're talking about," Hawke chuckles as she leads them into the dining room.

"I could share the tale," Skylar smirks before yelping when Talia smacks her right at the small of her back - forever a sensitive spot. The rogue had jumped perhaps a foot ahead of Hawke and right into the dining room.

All chatter abruptly ends at her sudden appearance and a blush dusts the top of her cheeks at their stares. Something that amazes a vast majority of them - those who actually knows the rogue just enough to know that she does not blush, ever. Behind her Talia chuckles, amused by what had happened, while Hawke walks right past her - greeting some more of her friends.

Finally Skylar just bows to the crowd - earning a round of laughter from them and claims a seat next to Isabela and Varric. She then begins to besiege them with stories in hopes of somehow making them forget about her entrance. Talia and Celia claim seats close to them and - whenever they find fault in her stories - would freely add in their own opinion about what really happened.

Celia, curious about Merrill and Anders turns her attention to the two mages opposite her and begins to talk with them. Skylar doesn't mind it much until Isabela makes an off handed remark about Anders possibly being overjoyed by the fact that there is another mage around. Someone who doesn't practice blood magic.

"Wait, who practices blood magic?" Skylar leans in, her eyes darkening at the thought of the forbidden art. Talia has to reach over and grip the rogue's shoulder to bring her out of her dark thoughts on the matter. She maintains the contact for a moment longer before releasing her.

Isabela and Varric share a look before the pirate reaches over and touches the assassin. "Skylar… Merrill, she isn't a danger." The rogue's eyebrows raise and she looks towards the Dalish elf. "Hey, listen to me," she looks back at Isabela, "she's not a danger to anyone."

"She's practicing blood magic, Isabela," Skylar mutters quietly. "Are you really defending a blood mage? After everything?"

Isabela's face flushes and she hits the back of Skylar's head with her fist - causing the brunette to hiss with pain. "Kitten isn't like those blood mages!" she snaps at the rogue while Skylar is clutching the spot protectively. "She's only doing what she thinks will help her clan!"

"But blood magic?" Skylar snaps back. "It does nothing except bring trouble!"

"I know that!" Isabela hits Skylar on the shoulder this time, softer than earlier. "... We can only hope that we can keep her from making a mistake like those mages…"

Skylar shakes her head, "She'll bring about her own downfall before anyone can stop her… That or someone will pay the price for her blood magic."

"How is it any different from you using your siphon?" Isabela prods causing Skylar's eyes to grow cold. The pirate queen knew that she taken it too far but hopes that the rogue will understand her point. She remembered how Skylar had killed a man using her siphon, breaking his strength, draining him of every last drop he had until he practically turned into dust - all to save her from him; from her husband.

She reaches out for the rogue and curls her fingers into Skylar's hair. "I'm sorry," she whispers softly, "I know that… you do it because you need to." The rogue's haunted eyes stare into hers. "But… Kitten, she's trying to bring back her people's history. Don't judge her before you get to know her." She waits for something from the rogue before she finally gets a slow nod. "You won't regret it."

Skylar shakes her head before untangling Isabela's fingers from her hair, turning away. Without another word about the subject she addresses Aveline about her namesake, Ser Aveline. When she discovers that she had never seen or known Orlais - despite being born there - Skylar all but exclaims in Orlesian. Stunning Aveline into silence as she stares at the rogue in surprise.

"Skylar, what on earth has got you so wound up?" Hawke questions as she helps Bodahn and Orana bring the food in.

"Did you know that Aveline has never seen Orlais lands?" Skylar exclaims, slouching back as she covers her face with a hand. "How can she not know her own country?"

"She's been in Ferelden longer than Orlais," Hawke replies simply as she places the dishes she had been carrying on the table.

Skylar points a finger at Hawke and then at Aveline, "That still does not excuse it! By the love of Andraste's tits, you should at the very least see Orlais! It's the country of your namesake!"

"Ser Aveline's glory is because she dared to do the impossible," Aveline retorts. Skylar shakes her head.

"Ser Aveline died trying to prove that women can be knights - she believed that women don't have to be meek and mild and died trying to demonstrate this."

"A principled death is still a death," Aveline argues, "Dying when she did does nothing except make her a bloody martyr. She could have done more by staying alive."

"By becoming a martyr she inspired others to become stronger," Skylar argues, "Women are stronger because of her. Hell, your own father named you after her in hopes that you would take strength from her story."

"It's still a tragic story. A story that did nothing to inspire me." Skylar throws up her arms in surrender and slouches back to take a quieter conversation with Isabela her hand subconsciously seeking Celia's.

The mage looks away from Merrill and Anders for the first time since she started speaking with them when she feels a hand touch hers. When she sees that it is Skylar's she laces her fingers with the rogue's, giving her a light squeeze, before returning to the conversation they were having about pros and cons of using Lyrium.

Skylar took a minute to recollect her thoughts before opening her eyes - her gaze landing directly onto the stunned face of a woman that looks like an older version of Hawke, a more elegant one anyway. Surprised she straightens herself in her seat before standing to greet the woman when Hawke starts to introduce them.

"Mother, this is a new friend of mine - Skylar - and her friends - Talia Warlong and Celia…" Hawke trails off as she looks at the mage in askance. When the blonde does nothing to supply a surname the rogue continues on with the introductions. "Skylar, Talia, Celia, this is my mother - Lady Leandra Amell Hawke."

"Hello, Lady Leandra," Skylar greets with a bow, "May I say what a lovely home you have here?" She flash the matron her best smile.

That seems to snap the woman out of her silence and she gives the white streaked brunette a shaky smile. "Thank you, dear. How did you meet my daughter?"

"My friends and I had just recently arrived in Kirkwall from Ferelden, Serah. We knew we needed a job soon so we went to the nearest tavern to find room. And after a few inquiries about potential employment we were directed to Varric, and through him to Hawke." Skylar pauses to pull out a chair for Leandra and when the woman takes the seat she pushes her in slightly before reclaiming her previous seat.

"Have we ever met before?" Leandra asks. Skylar glances at Talia for a moment before she shakes her head.

"I don't believe we have, Serah. I rarely travel to Ferelden and if I do it's mainly to Denerim," Skylar finally answers. "My mentors and I mostly lingered around Tevinter Imperium or Antiva." The rogue glances at Isabela who is suddenly interested in her food.

"I see…" Leandra nods her head before allowing the rogue to breath easily - dropping the questions for the time being.

* * *

After Leandra had excused herself from the table to allow the group to mingle among themselves Skylar felt the tension along her spine finally dissipate. She didn't know why Hawke's mother had been so interested in her childhood. She didn't ask Talia and Celia so many questions and it bothered the secretive Assassin a great deal.

Now that the elder Hawke is gone she chose to relax in a chair before groaning softly. She could feel a headache beginning to take root in her head and quite frankly it was starting wear down on her body. She could feel the onset of the symptoms from earlier - something she has begun to associate with the low presence of her magic. So she slouches in the chair, rubbing her temples as she tiredly watches the others chat with one another.

Off almost in a corner Celia has moved to chat with Merrill and Anders. On one hand she is pleased that she has met other mages. On the other she's worried about the fact that she may learn skills that Amelia and herself were trying to prevent her from learning or practicing. The young mage was already too strong from years of using magic without restraint. Strangely most people never reach their true potential after limiting themselves to certain skills so Celia's years spent without any specific teaching has allowed her cap to be placed extremely high.

She makes a mental note to speak with Talia about the matter. Unwilling to control every aspect of Celia's life but disliking the thought of someone teaching her blood magic or something in depth about the Fade. It had taken a lot of effort to teach the young mage about creation, primal and elemental types of magic without her venturing off into another branch.

It was especially hard because Amelia's magic was strictly entropy and spirit, with a slight drabble into arcane. While her own magic mimics the effects of the other branches but the most she could do manipulate it into shrouding her into impenetrable shadows, allowing near instantaneous movements and - if she's really pushing herself - she can 'steal' the techniques of her enemies.

She has to mentally force herself to leave the young mage alone for the time being and a brief look around reveals that Hawke is off to the side watching her friends with a content smile on her face. She decides that two is better than one and so leaves the comforts of the chair with a mental note to steal one of Hawke's chairs later. Within seconds she is leaning next to the rogue, similar icy blue eyes looking over the relaxed group.

"Enjoying yourself?" Hawke questions the woman next to her after a long pause.

"About as much as one would expect," Skylar answers casually. "Thank you for the free food," she adds as an afterthought.

Hawke only smiles and pats the rogue on the shoulder. "My pleasure. I remember what it is like to live in Lowtown," she mutters fondly.

Skylar chuckles softly. "One would expect that after living there for just a little over a year," she comments.

"True," Hawke says before turning to face the rogue. "So, have you had the whiskey flavored with rat droppings?" She waits a heartbeat before laughing when Skylar's expression gives away to disgust. "It's the house special, not too shabby."

Skylar shakes her head. "Clearly I need to introduce you to proper drinks. Tevinter Imperium have great drinks," the rogue considers. "I wonder if I can get my contact to ship me a crate of her best."

"I was under the impression that you need money for such an order."

Skylar grins at her and leans in to whisper. "That's what sexual favors are for," she says softly with a wink- getting an instant roar of laughter from the Ferelden rogue. She shrugs innocently at the others when they turn to look at their friend.

"I do believe," Skylar hears Hawke gasp - finally beating down her laughter - , "that we will have a beautiful friendship." The Ferelden rogue smiles at her and Skylar tilts her head slightly - just barely hiding her own pair of icy blue eyes - as she considers Hawke's words.

When Skylar doesn't answer Hawke's smile drops a bit and she sighs. This causes the white streaked brunette to look up from her thoughts. It takes her a minute to realize what is bothering the woman and she mentally slaps herself. "My apologies," she says quickly, a hand awkwardly touching Hawke's shoulder, "I- I'm not used to making friends." This odd confession half strangled by the woman's defenses gets a relieved smile from Hawke.

"I understand," Hawke mutters as she grips Skylar's elbow for a moment, "I truly do."

The two women smile at each other - awkward but completely genuine - before they turn to watch the others. Skylar's smile quickly drops as she frowns at nothing, her thoughts rapidly becoming distressed as she tries to puzzle something out. Now was not the time for problems to start rearing their heads.

_**I hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter. It was fairly easy for me to write (wow) so yay :) Chapter 5 should be out relatively soon - depending if I can get the ending of that chapter to cooperate with me and how long it takes for wolfer to look at it. She's a busy woman, don't bother her please :) Please R&R lemme know what ya'll think!**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I do not own the games and any characters that you do not recognize as part of Dragon Age 2 are mine. Also, a round of thanks for Wunder wolfer for getting this story back to me.**_

_**Chapter 5**_

It had not been a full day before Hawke came around with another job for the group - this time, they had no reason to refuse it. A healer was needed - almost desperately - and as per usual, someone needed to travel alongside with Celia. However, after a full week in the city Skylar's health was at the lowest it has ever been in all the years she has lived. So she gestures for Talia to travel with Celia to the Wounded Coast - saying that she'll be fine and if she actually need any help she can always holler for Varric or Isabela.

Talia didn't want to leave Skylar alone - fully aware that her friend is unlikely to ask for help from someone she is unfamiliar with. Not unless it is serious to the point she may die. Yet she knew that Celia would be unwilling to go anywhere with Hawke without Talia or Skylar.

So the two friends are forced to leave the rogue in the hands of Hawke's friends - partially reassured that if something happens to Skylar, she'll be in the healing care of Anders. Of course, Skylar will probably refuse to even go anywhere near him unless someone knocks her out.

* * *

Almost two days passed before Skylar began to feel remotely human and by mid-afternoon she felt well enough to do some small jobs around the city - taking one or two from Varric and a vast majority from concerned citizens. And picking up random knickknacks that could be sold to merchants; a sword and shield - of a decent style that is better than the ones Talia is using - she slings over her back. A staff of some unknown origins - yet she could sense that the staff is great for healers. So that goes with her as well.

By the time night begins to fall Skylar has begun to feel like she is on the top of the world - mostly because of the added bonus of being able to drain a good portion of her enemies' mana/stamina. Add in the fact that she feels like she managed to eliminate some of the scum that have been lingering around Lowtown and Darktown. However, while traveling through the docks for a job she had noticed with great distain that the Qunari dissent has been growing steadily. A worrying development that she decided to closely monitor to ensure that it did not interfere with her primary quest.

The Kossith - strange humanoids that slightly resemble goats because of their horns - mostly kept to themselves. But then she had to venture into their compound to check on something for a client - it wasn't a pleasant trip. End result was that she had gotten an eyeful of the many advantages that they have on their 'visitors'; high grounds and spears just waiting to be thrown. The Arishok - an annoying Kossith in her own opinion - dismissed her rather quickly when it became apparent that she had nothing good to offer him. It had nothing to do with the fact that she was annoying to him, cracking inappropriate jokes - she swears on Andraste's tits.

She goes back to the Hanging Man where she was immediately dragged into a drinking contest with Isabela and a few others. Warned rather severely not to fail her - Isabela, in her opinion, is a bit terrifying when she doesn't want to lose something - and without further ado the two rogues and the two sailors began the contest. Needless to say Corff was enthusiastic about the fact that his drinks are selling - rapidly.

* * *

Varric walks into the Hanging Man before stopping at the doorway, an eyebrow raised as he takes in the scene. It is late in the night - or perhaps early in the morning - and many if not most of the patrons have disappeared for the relative safety of their own homes. The few that remains are mostly sailors on shore leave. Two of them - it would seem - are involved in a contest of a sort with his friend and her friend.

Isabela has taken to bragging and taunting the sailors into more drinks - even if they look like they have reached their limits already - while Skylar just downs the tankards like water. Varric couldn't help the amused chuckle when he notices the wince that accompanies each drink.

"Rivaini!" Varric calls cheerfully as he approaches them. The pirate turns to look at him before loudly exclaiming his name - similar to the way she had done so to Hawke nearly two weeks ago. The rogue next to her waves her hand in greeting before making a face into an empty tankard. "Is Skylar… going to be okay?" he questions the pirate, prompting her to turn to her friend.

"Whoa," the pirate exclaims to Skylar. "Did you drink too much?" The sailors across from them - looking rather nauseous from the drinks they have consumed already - look at each other hopefully.

The rogue blinks at her friend, her drink addled brain attempting to translate the slurred words. "Not nearly enough," Skylar eventually answers, her words heavily mangled. She frowns to herself before muttering in the other languages she knows. When Isabela hears Skylar mumbling something in Antivan and Rivain she knows that the rogue may have had too much to drink.

She looks at the sailors and note that they look like they are just about to hit their limit and pass out. She waves for Corff and holds up four fingers. "Just a few more drinks, okay Skylar?" The rogue merely grunts an answer before snickering softly at something that amused her.

Isabela doesn't bother to ask Skylar what was so amusing for she is familiar with the woman's antics while she's drunk. She's just fortunate enough that the rogue hadn't actually hit the limit where her hands start to wander. As amusing as it is to witness her wandering hands it was not amusing to suffer the accidental drain of stamina.

Two or three more drinks later found the sailors passed out drunk and Skylar… well, she may have spoken too soon about the limit. Cursing the fact that the rogue hadn't yet acquired new gloves she encourages Varric to relinquish his gloves over to her. Putting them on the drunk Skylar however was harder than she liked.

"By Andraste's tits, I'm never taking you drinking again!" she hisses at Skylar just as she finally manages to get the gloves on. Skylar chuckles softly under her breath just before Isabela yanks her up onto her feet. That lasted about five seconds before Skylar is scrambling for the nearest corner.

The sounds of her hurling has Isabela and Varric wincing in sympathy. Varric gives Isabela a look that has the pirate rubbing the back of her neck. "We may have overdone it a bit."

"Just a bit?"

Skylar groans and with some help from Isabela she manages to get back onto her feet and stumble the distance to her rented room. "Bela," Skylar mumbles as her weight causes them to fall over when she lurch too far into one direction. "Bela, by Andraste's tits, I'm so fucking sorry." The pirate groans as she gets the Assassin back onto her feet.

"Skylar, you can be sorry later!" the pirate grouches as the rogue continues to mumble apologies. That is, until the taller brunette wrestles out of her grip and heavily put her weight on her, effectively pinning her against a wall. "Skylar, you -," she starts to say before she notices a sharp if not drunken glare from her friend.

"You're a good friend," Skylar slurs. "Best friend in the bloody world." Isabela could only look at her friend in confusion.

"Obviously you've had too much," Isabela sighs before she frees herself from Skylar's grasp, threatening to knock her out if she doesn't behave. Skylar continues to say that she's an awesome friend, that she's sorry. And something about a Melia?

Once safely in the room and on the bed with her armor and weapons stripped off Isabela leaves the rogue alone for the rest of the night.

Varric accepts his gloves from Isabela - flexing the materials around his fingers. "Now, what are we going to do with those sailors?" he asks rhetorically, gesturing to the passed out men in the main room.

"Leave 'em for Corff to deal with," Isabela grumbles before saying good night to Varric and disappears into her room.

Varric makes to do the same until he hears his name being called. Upon turning he discovers it to be a boy - a messenger by the looks of his clothes - clutching a crumpled looking letter. "A message for Varric Tethras," the boy gasps.

"This early in the morning?" he questions softly before he takes the message - making sure to tip the boy greatly for delivering the letter outside of service hours. What he finds inside surprises him in more ways than one. He thought that after what happened with Bartrand nothing surprises him anymore.

* * *

Varric knocks on the door just after the sun starts to shine over the horizon, waiting patiently for someone to answer him. It doesn't take long for Bodahn to answer the door. "Ah, Mister Tethras, Serah Hawke is waiting for you in the study," he says as a way of greeting, allowing the Dwarf into the mansion.

"Thank you, Bodahn," he says, patting the man on the shoulder before heading to the study. He knocks on the study door before opening it.

Leandra was just about to get out of the chair when she sees that it is Varric. "Ah, thank you for coming," she greets him, gesturing for him to take the second seat.

"The letter said that it was important," he says as a way to excuse himself. To be honest, the second he saw that it was from Leandra he had to fight himself from coming straight to the house. He doubted he got any sleep as a result.

"Yes… tell me, how much do you know about my daughters?"

Whatever he was expecting it certainly wasn't that question. He considers it for a moment, recalling how they had been talking with Bartrand, trying to get hired onto the Expedition into the Deep Roads. "I'm afraid I do not know much about your children." He leans forward, his fingers laced together to support his chin, as he thinks.

"I know that Hawke - your eldest daughter I mean - she does not… she does not like losing or admitting that she is in the wrong." Leandra laughs softly in agreement. "But when her family or friends are in danger - well, no one can ever say she doesn't protect them." Leandra nods her head.

"Bethany… Sunshine as I like to call her. She doesn't see the world in black and white but… often I think that she's just so… innocent." He shakes his head. "I don't think I ever apologized for what happened in the Deep Roads… Because of my brother's expedition and betrayal your daughter was…" he trails off as he thinks about the dark taint that Bethany had almost lost her life to.

Leandra sighs and touches the dwarf on the shoulder. "I have forgiven my daughter for her role in this and I forgive you for your part in it as well. Instead I thank her and the Grey Warden that she still live as a result of Alex's decision." Varric looks puzzled at the woman before he realizes that he never knew Hawke's first name. "I'll take it that you never knew her name?" Leandra questions.

"I don't think anyone knows her name," he confesses. "Alex Hawke… Were you expecting a boy?" he asks, curious.

Leandra laughs, shaking her head. "No. Her name is short for Alexandria. But growing up she refused to answer to it and only responded to Alex. I doubt her siblings even knew her full name." She smiles ruefully at the fireplace - lost in some memory.

"… Serah, what reason would you have to bring this up?" he finally questions.

Leandra turns to look at him, blinking away the memory that had embraced her. "I wondered merely because… I was forced to remember that Alex… she has a twin sister," she tells Varric, stunning the dwarf into silence - an amazing feat for anyone to do.

It takes him a long minute to get his brain to function again and the first question pops into his mind. "What… Hawke never mentioned this," he finally manages to say.

"That's because she was too young to remember this. She was not even six months old when…"

"Serah… what happened? Did Hawke's sister die?"

"Nothing as tragic as that," Leandra answers, shaking her head. "No… what happened was… It is hard to explain the reasons behind our actions but we… sent her sister away for her own protection."

"But why?"

"She had magic," Leandra answers simply. When she notices the incredulous look on the dwarf's face she quickly attempts to explain it. "Most children do not display any signs of magic until they are - at the very least - six or seven years old. Alex's twin… she displayed incredible magic unheard of in newborn children."

"And you sent her away?" Varric couldn't help but be hung up on that detail especially. "I don't understand this. Your husband was an apostate, your daughter - Bethany - is an apostate. Why would you send Hawke's twin away for magic?"

"We sent her away not just because she had magic but because she became deadly ill whenever Alex was close to her." Varric is rendered speechless for the second time in his visit and he has to think about what Hawke's mother has told him. A newborn child capable of magic and was sent away merely because her own sister made her deadly ill?

"I'm sorry… I don't think I understood that," he confesses, moving to pour himself a drink.

"I do not fault you for I barely understood it all those years ago," Leandra tells him, waving away an offer of her daughter's best spirits. "Shall I explain it for you?"

"It would be best, Serah, if you start from the beginning."

Leandra nods her head, silently agreeing with his request.

* * *

It had been a hard pregnancy for Leandra. Her body struggling to contain two babies within her womb. She and Malcolm had settled in a small village for the last few months of her pregnancy and hopefully for the first year of their children's lives. But all the pain, sweat, and blood was worth it - to bring their daughters into the world.

Two healthy girls that screamed almost in union whenever they needed their nappies changed or when they were hungry. Identical eyes that seems to pierce into their souls and cute curls of dark brown hair that seems to be a reminder of the Amell's line. The elder - with a row of dark brown freckles hidden by her eye lids when she's awake - was especially vocal with her sister just a heartbeat behind.

Seconds, minutes, hours, and days blend into weeks and Leandra noticed that her elder daughter's health seemed to deteriorate seemingly overnight. Perfectly healthy when laid to rest with her sister yet when Leandra goes to feed her and her sister she'd be slow to wake, eat, or sleep.

Steadily her weight began to decrease despite the amount of milk she consumed. She also began to have difficulty breathing, her body would constantly shake and sweat profusely, and she often became deadly quiet. Whenever there was a loud alarming sound she would not start screaming like most typical babies but rather tears would start streaming down her face without a single sound escaping her lips. Once, a large spider crept into their crib and scared their eldest daughter. Alex immediately reacted to her sister's fright with her own scream, alerting her parents to their distress. But before they could reach out to comfort them - the spider was flung away by a blast of what appears to be a spirit bolt emanating from their eldest. However, the flash of magic was obviously a great strain on the girl's health. The final straw for the parents was that her bright blue eyes dulled to a pale grey that had them worried to death for it looked eerily like the eyes of those corrupted by the darkspawn.

That day Malcolm - concerned for his daughter's health - took her to the local's healer while Leandra stayed at home with Alex. For hours she fussed over Alex, hoping that her daughter would not have contracted whatever her elder had come down with. What manner of disease has struck her home and left her firstborn with failing health?

Her husband did not return to the house until just after midnight, their daughter bundled up to prevent chills. The girl looked much better, sleeping with color in her face again. Malcolm would explain to her that the doctor found no symptoms of any known illnesses in the world and that all of her systems are in working order. He also explains that the symptoms that drove him out of the house with her in his arms had disappeared by the time the doctor saw her - vanishing in the ten minutes it took to ride a horse to the healer's house.

For the next several weeks the cycle repeated itself with few breaks in while Alex appears unaffected by her sister's bouts of illness. With no physical explanation for her ailment Malcolm finally decided to check whether his daughter's illness has a magical basis. He stayed up for an entire day straight meditating over his daughters to visualize the trace of any malevolent spells and monitor their mana.

So when he asked Leandra to take Alex away for an hour or two he notices that there seemed to be a slow flow of mana connecting the twins. He remained silent about what he had seen until Leandra returned Alex to the cradle and took the eldest. There was a bright flash of magic in his eyes that caused him to flinch. The flow seemed to reverse itself for just a moment before it resumed its course towards Alex. By the time Leandra returned the elder twin to the cradle he could see that she was looking ill again. He watched them for a moment longer, noting that the flow between them was quickening. As he watches this he realizes that his child's symptoms were also worsening.

He called for Leandra as he picks up the sickly girl, handing her over to her wife as he goes to pick up Alex. Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes as he realizes what he must do to protect his daughter.

* * *

"… I still don't understand what has brought this up. Why mention that Hawke has a twin sister now after all these years?" Varric questions.

"There was never a need to mention it," Leandra starts softly. "Malcolm's friends were told to keep her safe at all costs and to never bring her back to us - to keep her ignorant of us." She crosses her arms across her chest. "Malcolm and I chose to wait until our daughters were one years old, so that we can associate their names with their personality…"

Varric's eyes are wide as he realizes that she is saying. "You mean you don't know Hawke's sister's name?" He watches her nod her head and he rubs the bridge of his nose. So Hawke has a twin sister out there who will fall ill to a set of symptoms whenever they are in close proximity of each other. On top of that her sister's name is currently unknown to everyone except her father's friends. "Why now, why after all these years? You say that there was never a need to mention it to Hawke so what changed?"

"I… I suspect that Alex's sister is here - in Kirkwall." Varric stares at her for a moment before leaning back as he considers what he had learned thus far.

Identical sisters so that means she has icy blue eyes and dark brown hair. Obviously the twin sister must be able to use magic, possibly an apostate if Malcolm Hawke's friends were able to keep her out of the Circle. The twin - should she ever be around Hawke - would suffer from… he had to think back to the symptoms that Leandra had listed. She would suffer from a difficulty breathing, tremors, sweating, and quite possibly a migraine, and her eyes would seemingly dull to a grey color similar to the dark taint while at the same time losing her appetite.

It had to be someone whom Leandra had met recently and as he thinks it over he realizes that there are not many people whom Leandra hadn't already had contact with prior to the start of this month. The only new people he met were - He stops as he realizes who exactly may have triggered the reemergence of the family's secret. "You think it might be Skylar?" he questions softly.

"I suspect it yes," she confesses.

"… What happened to your husband's friends?" he wonders out loud partially to himself. Leandra only shakes her head, unsure of what happened to her late husband's friends.

Varric can think of maybe three different scenarios if Skylar was Hawke's sister. The first scenario would be that she got to an age where they - or she - felt like she didn't need any more supervision and they went their separate ways. Somehow, this one seems to be the least plausible idea especially if she came to see them as her parents. After all, Hawke is still living with her mother, even after all these years - not that there is something wrong about that.

The second scenario is that they're still alive but have chosen to stay in one location while she does various jobs around the country. A good possibility since Malcolm Hawke's friends should be roughly of the same age as he was and may not be able to travel as much as they used to.

The third scenario is that they must have died at some point prior her appearance here in Kirkwall - it's more likely to happen than the first one and just a bit more likely than the second. The world after all is a dangerous place and if he's right about his opinion regarding Skylar's magic then they may have spent a great deal of her life on the run from the Templars.

"Varric," Leandra calls over to the dwarf, snapping him out of his thoughts. "I know I am asking a great deal of you but…"

"Say no more, Serah. I'll look into the matter for you," he tells her, getting a grateful smile from Hawke's mother. "Well, I suppose I better get onto it. Have a good day Serah," he bows his head in a short nod before walking out of the room and mansion with one destination in mind.

Time to visit the Chantry and maybe the Gallows later.

* * *

Skylar yawns and stretches her arms until she gets a rather satisfying pop from her shoulders and back. Feeling much better after managing to sleep off most, if not all of her hangover she ditches the sweat and alcohol soaked clothes she had slept in and begins digging around for a fresh pair of clothes.

She was on her hands and knees on the other side of the bed when the door to the room flies open. Startled and reacting on instincts she scrambles for the nearest knife she has, jumping up onto her feet in preparation to throw it only to realize that it's just Isabela.

"By Andraste's tits, don't you know not to barge into people's rooms?" Skylar scowls at the pirate as she drops her arm from its stance, tossing the knife carelessly at the wall. She tilts her head slightly when she notices that she had managed to embed the sharp tip into the wooden wall just a bit.

"I'm bored and got tired of waiting for you to wake up," Isabela says simply as she plops down onto the bed.

"You didn't shout my name," Skylar points out as she resumes her search for clean clothes. By the Maker's breath, it looks like she might need to do the laundry soon if she's having a hard time finding something that isn't stained with blood.

"I figured the whole 'slamming the door open' would do the trick," Isabela waves off Skylar's point. The rogue considers it for a second before nodding in agreement. Had she still been asleep she would have reacted far more violently - possibly throwing the knife without checking to see whom it was. Skylar shouts in triumph when she finds a pair of clean trousers and slips them on before resuming the hunt for a shirt. "… Skylar…" Isabela calls to the brunette.

"Aye?"

"… When the last time any of you have done the laundry?" Isabela questions as she watches the pile with the bloodied clothes grow. It looks like the trio have been in the habit of buying new clothes when their current outfit gets stained.

"That's a good question," Skylar stands before the pirate and looks around at the room before sighing. "Probably been awhile." She thinks about the one who usually does their laundry and nods reluctantly to herself. It has been a long time since any laundry has been done.

"How did you ever manage to survive?" Isabela teases her, causing the Assassin to laugh softly before tilting her head slightly when she notices something. She drops down to her hands and knees and pulls the object out. Isabela - startled by her friend's abrupt actions - looks between her legs to find Skylar looking puzzled at a tightly wrapped parcel with what looks to be a tight sprawl of handwriting at the top left corner.

"You know, this is kind of awkward when it's not involving kisses and sex," Isabela nudges her friend with her booted foot, causing the Assassin to look up. Icy blue eyes widen when she realizes just how suggestive her position is.

"How is it that I always end up in this kind of situations with you?" Skylar teases as she moves away, picking up the medium size package - setting it on the table.

"Maybe because I'm irresistible," Isabela retorts getting an amused laugh from the Assassin. She quickly grabs a pillow and tosses it at the woman in retaliation. Of course the missile was dodged - she'd be worried if it actually hit the woman - so she settles for scowling at her.

"What did you want anyway?" Skylar questions while tracing her name on the package - written in Antivan no less. She already figured out who would sent her something but she couldn't figure out when it arrived. Certainly not in the last few days, and not in the week after their arrival. As she narrows down the timeline she listens for Isabela's response - which she was taking her time with.

Finally the pirate sighs and curses in Antivan, causing the Assassin to chuckle. "What seems to be bothering you?" Skylar asks as she hops onto the flimsy table, her heart lurching when it wobbles threateningly before settling.

"Why does it have to be something bothering me?"

"Because I know you Isabela. I've known you since just before your blasted husband's death. Since I saw you the week after you ran away from that man whom you fell in love with and broke his heart," Skylar didn't miss the flinch at the mention of that one. "Since…" she pauses as she tries to think of other examples before she decides to just make her point, "I just know you."

She didn't miss the slightly panicked look on Isabela's face but she stays quiet as she waits for her to calm down and regain her composure. It doesn't take long for Isabela to reclaim her wits and the pirate straightens herself. "I thought that since… neither of us are doing anything…"

"I'm not going to have sex with you," Skylar cuts her off, getting a quick smack from the pirate.

"That's not what I was going to say." Skylar only smirks at her, causing her to realize that she was being teased. "That wasn't fair," Isabela grumbles with a mild pout.

Skylar chuckles softly before taking a seat next to Isabela. "My apologies. What was it that you needed?"

"… I usually ask Hawke about this but… I need someone to come with me. I think I have a clue about something I've been looking for," Isabela finally manages to get out. Skylar looks at her in surprised before shrugging her shoulders.

"Sure, I don't see why not. Though we'll need other people with us." Isabela nods her head before saying that Aveline might be willing to help if Skylar asks her. She herself decides to ask Merrill to tagalong - having a better relationship with the Dalish elf than Anders, who still resists being taking away from his clinic.

"Where do you want us to meet up?" Skylar questions quietly.

"…At the bridge leading to Hightown," Isabela finally says. Skylar nods her head before kicking the pirate out, still searching for a clean tunic. Her armor - some simple leather armor made in Antiva - laid in a pile close by the door with her boots and weapons. It takes her a few more minutes to locate a clean tunic and within five minutes she is dressed, armored, and her weapons secured in their proper places.

Once she has everything is out the door and walking away from the tavern. Destination - the Keep, where Guard Captain Aveline practically lives.

* * *

"You want me," Aveline points at herself, "to tag along with you" this time she points at Skylar "on some fool's errand with Isabela?" At the pirate's name the warrior gestures vaguely in the air. Skylar couldn't help but be amused by Aveline's gestures but worked at keeping her face straight.

"That's about the gist of it yes," Skylar nods, leaning against the wall.

"You must be crazy if you think I'll go anywhere with that woman."

Skylar shrugs her shoulders. "I thought you might like to keep an eye on her," she chose to use a different tactic, aware that - from having to listen to her rant about Isabela - Aveline have a strange love-hate relationship with the pirate. When she sees that she has Aveline's attention she smiles inwardly. "After all, she didn't exactly tell me what exactly she's looking for. Except the impression I got from her is that it's really important and that she usually brings Hawke into it."

They stand there for a long moment before the warrior scowls at her. "Fine, I'm coming along. But this had better not take too long," she warns the woman before grabbing her sword and shield.

"You won't regret it," Skylar teases her before walking out of the office with Aveline in tow. Aveline - looking at Skylar's back - was once again hit by the impression that she has met this person before, before Hawke brought her along for that job anyway. As she tries to solve this riddle she starts comparing the two rogues. They were so different but at the same time, the longer she starts to study them the more she found that they're similar. Maybe they're both from Ferelden or lived in some rural area of the country?

"Skylar," Aveline starts, causing the woman to slow herself so that they're walking shoulder to shoulder. "Where are you from?"

The brunette blinks at the question before locking her hands behind her head in thought. "To be honest," she starts, "I don't know." She could feel Aveline's disbelieving stare. "My mentors and I were always been on the move. Just kept moving from village to village, town to town, city to city." Aveline didn't miss the distinction that Skylar made. Size of the location didn't matter to them, just the fact that they keep traveling.

"We didn't even stick to one country either," Skylar adds before she drops her hands and starts to list off the countries using her fingers and thumbs to help keep count. "Ferelden, Orlais, Nevarra, the Free Marches, Antiva, Rivain, Tevinter Imperium, and Anderfels. We even went to Seheron." Aveline couldn't help but be impressed by the different countries they had seen.

"That's quite a lot of places," Aveline points out.

"Yep. We never stayed in one location for too long. They had a motto, 'Get some money and then get out'." She could feel Aveline's questioning stare. "I don't know why they had that motto. I just know it was their way of life." She shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders. "It may have been because Julia is an apostate, she's the reason why I know so much about magic."

"You practice?" Aveline asks.

"Not really," Skylar shakes her head before holding her open hand in front of her. "I'm sure that you've seen a mage summon fire right?" She looks at Aveline for confirmation. When she gets it she concentrates. She recalls the spell that her mentor had taught her - relatively simple and easy to do, it also doesn't take that much mana from her - but when she starts to push the spell twists.

She hears a gasp of surprise and warily opens one of her eyes to find that yes - her magic twisted the spell into a weird strange fireball. "Bloody spells never works right with me," she scowls before she shoots it at a thief that she spied trying to sneak up on them - making sure that he's nowhere inside the blast radius. The man yelps and jumps away from the fire - screaming about it being cold.

"…" Aveline looks at the retreating man before she turns to the rogue. "Did he just say…?"

"Yes, my magic mimics the effects of other magic but when I try to use a spell it… well for a lack of a better term it changes the effects of the spell. That was a fireball spell but instead of burning it freezes."

"So if you were to use a… what was the name of that spell Bethany uses…" Aveline trails off as she tries to recall it.

"I assume you mean winter's grasp."

Aveline nods her head, snapping her fingers. "If you use that spell, its effect would mimic the fireball?"

"More or less, yes." Skylar shrugs her shoulders when she sees the puzzled expression. "I don't know why it does that so I generally just focus on my intent and just go with it."

"So healing…"

"Just focus on closing the injury," Skylar states bluntly.

"Otherwise you…"

"Kill them? Yes."

"… Was it wise for us to take you with us?" Aveline questions, referring to the job they had taken awhile back.

"Truthfully?" Aveline nods her head. "Celia would have been a better choice with her near mastery over Spirit Healing." Aveline shook her head in disbelief.

"Why didn't…"

"She's claustrophobic," is Skylar's blunt answer. The warrior looks at her in surprise. "It's not my story to tell," the rogue tells her as they finally arrive at their destination. She leans against the stairwell, her eyes intent on Aveline.

"But basically this is what would have happened. The second she thinks she can't get free she will freak out. She's a great user of the primal magic and I don't know how much you know about primal but…" Skylar pauses as she summons up a scenario in her head, "Imagine all of us in a cave, something happens to cause a cave-in and we can't get outside. She starts to freak out and using the primal magic she acts unconsciously starting to hit everything."

Aveline's face goes pale at the idea. "I see…" She wanted to ask about why Celia has a phobia, none of the mages she has ever met had ever said anything about any fear. Then again, she supposes that having magic might be like being on drugs for some. Or for some - like Bethany - it is a great source of pain. But none of the mages she has gotten to know has shown any fear of something.

"Skylar!" they hear someone shout and the rogue turns to find that it's the pirate with the Dalish elf right behind her. Skylar waves a greeting towards the two women approaching them. "You ready?" the pirate questions them after she greets Aveline.

The two women look at each other before nodding their head in agreement. "Great, let's go," Isabela turns around and starts walking down an unfamiliar path - for Skylar anyway. Aveline however just groans as she realizes that their destination is Darktown.

"What exactly are we searching for, Isabela?" Skylar questions warily.

"Something I lost when my ship crashed on a reef," the pirate answers evasively.

"Certainly can't be your virginity," the Assassin cracks softly only to get punched in the shoulder. Laughing she puts her hands up in surrender, moving out of Isabela's reach. "You gonna tell me what you lost or am I just gonna have to follow you blindly?"

"Maybe you should just watch my ass."

"As much as I would love to," Skylar starts, "I believe that Hawke would have my head for even looking at you."

"I should get you two in a threesome. With your touch and her aggressiveness… mmm." To Skylar's amusement they lost her to a fantasy.

"I don't know about you," she starts to say to Merrill, "but I don't think we'll hear much from her for a bit."

Merrill tilts her head and Skylar realizes why Isabela calls her Kitten when the elf's large innocent eyes blink at her in confusion. When Skylar realizes this she decides to simply drop the issue - finding that it would be better for both of their sanity that they don't interact much.

Funny thing about decisions - it tends to come back and bite her in the rear later.

_**Please R&R and lemme know what you think of the story thus far! I would love to be able to explain any part that may not make sense at this moment in the story. Until next time!**_


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